Technology Bites!!

Well. It took me a literal month to get my phone and my laptop to talk to each other. I was going through this cumbersome "attach this widgety thing to your phone, download, then upload the widgety thing to your computer so that you can share pictures" thing. See, my Windows phone just kind of automatically uploaded stuff. The OnePlus? Not so much. 

But...My pics are back! And Hubby had to order me a new hard drive - a larger one. My good old ThinkPad is still chugging along, but for a birthday gift, he got me a Surface Laptop that I can travel with...which is slightly ironic because I'm not really going anywhere lately! One of these days, when I can travel again, I can take this Surface, which is MUCH lighter than my "Old Reliable." 

Speaking of which, I've got UPDATES for you! I've missed blogging and I need to get on the stick - especially now that I actually have time. 

Vintage Sewing Machine...

Who knew I had a "vintage" sewing machine? I just thought it was old. It's a Brother Charger 661 and it was made in the late 60s to mid-70s. And it's mostly metal...which is saying something! It sews forward, backward and zig-zag. And it does buttonholes, but I can do those by hand. The only fiddly bit is the bobbin - not a drop-in, but a "pick it out of the hole sideways and put it back in the same way" thingie. 

These are the first batch of masks. I reckon I did about 58 of 'em and I have a large --- and I do mean LARGE pile of fabric for Masks, Phase II. I'm on pace to do about 150-175 of them before I run out of thread, patience and fabric. Two quilting friends of mine, K and D, donated. The "ugly" fabric turned into ties. The masks are two-pleat, except for the "family" masks, which are more fitted. 

The first batch were 3-pleat, but honestly, my hand mobility isn't what it used to be. I was really messing up not only the topstitching but the 3 pleats. Consistently. And it was frustrating me. I mean, my sewing skills can "kindly" be called "basic." But I wanted to do a decent job. These certainly aren't meant to be heirlooms - they're meant to be washed in hot water and kind of scalded...and I don't expect them to last for any more than a few months, with luck. But I'd like them to look half-way decent. So the next batch are all 2-pleat. and they fit the same - the basic size is the same; just easier for me to manipulate. 

The fitted masks are all the "male" sized ones, though. I found that the "women/teen" size shrunk and wasn't as comfortable. So we're all guys...

Kid #1's partner, J, asked me, "Can you make me some snowflake masks?" I wasn't quite sure what she wanted, and we had a discussion...turns out that folks in CO think she's a "snowflake" because she's wearing the one mask I made her. This is what I came up with -- I've ordered some snowflake material, but as you can imagine, it's more likely to be out at Christmas rather than spring! Anyway, the patch is making a point: "Kiss my snowflake keister, bub!" And besides, she's a welder - you really wanna poke a woman who wields a torch? 

The fitted masks are meant to have elastic - but I don't like elastic because I wear glasses; and because it's uncomfortable. So I've been making my own ties. Thankfully, Hubby is my "cutter." He can really maximize a piece of fabric! 

I'll be donating the masks to the local hospital, and then anyone who wants one. Since the fabric is all donated, I'm not keen on charging for them. A few folks have wanted to donate, so I've given them 2 charities to donate to: a local food bank and our local free clinic. 

The dogs think it's a "clacky machine." Of course, on a laminate floor, being a heavy-duty sewing machine, it IS loud. For the amount of hours I've been putting on it, it's gonna need a "spa day" after this is all done. And things are opened back up. 

As a matter of course, I cleaned out the drawer of the sewing machine cabinet. I found this vintage (there's that word again) magazine that I used to subscribe to in the Way Back Times. 

Boy, have things changed. Sizes, for one. Most of the knitting has "XL" as a size 12 with a bust size of 38"...
Yikes... There are a few patterns I'd be interested in doing, but let's just say I'd have to size them up a bit more. 

It's fun to see the recipes too. Jeeze - "cream of something" soup in just about everything, and lots of stuff in cans. I have to laugh too at the Bran Flakes recipes...this was 1984, when bran was The New Super Food. 

The article on Companion Gardening is still relevant; and a thing about creeping Thyme as a ground cover is kind of cool. But mostly, it's a real throw-back. 

The Knitting...




Tons o' stuff to catch up with in regard to The Knitting. So, all this time on my hands in quarantine has resulted in several FOs (finished objects) and a couple new ones started. One frogged, twice...which is my limit. 

First is a shawlette that ended up being for my friend M. I had purchased this organic cotton from Le Mouton Rouge with the intent to do more face cloths. But it wasn't looking like it would work. So I found this pattern on Ravelry, and it fit the yardage. M likes orange (which is the main color) and the rose was a nice accent. I have blue and gold for one for me. I will knit a pattern several times (see Close to You Shawl, which I've knitted at least 3 times) if it's an easy knit and fun. This fit the bill for both things. And with it being cotton, it's kind of a 3-season item of clothing: you can keep the AC off your neck (which is what M is doing), and it's still light enough for when it gets warm.

Here's the pattern: Two Color Seedlings Scarf -- not the yarn called for, but it worked out just fine. And I may still use the leftovers for facecloths. This yarn I used is Mika, a 100% organic cotton. 

Being as we had snow in March and frost in May? "Warm" is a ways off yet. 

The green Traveling Socks are now done. I had to steek --- (cut my knitting!!) because I did a really screwy job on the one sock, and it was like 4" long in the foot. Seeing as I'm a size 9? Yeah... So I tried to unpick, but it didn't work. So I cut. Held my breath, grabbed scissors, and snip, snip, snip. As you can see by the right sock, it was only a few inches that I had to lengthen, but it made all the difference. So Sock #2 got done first! 

I'm going to start knitting my socks at 68 stitches. 64 is too small and 72 is too big. So I started another one. And it's too small in the foot, too... What the heck. I think it's the star toe. I have to add at least an inch to the foot length for the star toe. And I need to increase my heel flap to a full 3 inches. 

I'm plowing through the Opal stash like crazy. But I'm having an issue with finishing. So this blue one is still a tad tight at the toe - and I will do Sock #2 and see if I can make the improvements and then fix the toe of Sock #1. Why do them in order??? This pic here is all of my Opal socks. Yes, I finally got "enough socks to wear them all week long" because I'm not including the Sweet Georgia and MadTosh. Kid #2 wants me to make him some "scrappy short socks" which will be ok, except he's got huge feet.... 

Here are the rest of the socks. I'm rather chuffed.... I've got lots of socks! I'm aiming to clean out my sock drawer and basically get rid of anything I'm not wearing anymore. Replacing them all with hand-knits where I can. I do still wear compression socks when I need to, but the "novelty socks" I have by the dozens can be given away; they're still in good shape, but I don't wear them. I wear these and short socks when I wear socks at all. Two pair of Fluromania...and I'm using the other 2 balls of Fluromania for the Breathe & Hope shawl - I've got blue yarn as the "base" and the pop of the bright color will be just what I want. It'll be a fun knit - twice...

And here, left to right: the hiking sock out of 100% wool (Cascade 220) - I have yarn to do a second pair; these are cozy and great for winter boots. Center is the Trekking sock in "Ovarian Cancer Teal" -- and these have the honor of being "5-year socks" because it was 5 years between Sock #1 and Sock #2... and to the right is my Sweet Georgia pair. These are on 72 stitches and are wayyyy too loose; but the yarn is squishy so it's still comfortable. 

And then there's shawl #2. It was supposed to be Reyna. Except my pattern was wrong (my printer cut off a few rows and I didn't realize it). And then I mis-read KTBL as KFB and I was increasing by FOUR stitches every other row. This was my "frogged twice" project. And it's using yarn that doesn't take kindly to frogging. Expression Fiber Arts Pearlescent Fingering is 50% merino wool and 50% silk. It's got the most gorgeous depth of color and "squish factor" and it splits like a bugger... The bloom of the yarn is lovely. I can't wait for it to be finished. 


But it ain't gonna be Reyna...This was just before Frogging #2...

I've got a few projects "in my sights" to work on while we're under shelter-in-place. But I started Simple and I like to stick with it. I also still have to finish Kid #2's afghan, which is thankfully at 50%. That's going to be my next rotation project. I'm shifting between sock needles (size 1), this shawl (size 5) and the afghan (size 7) -- because I find if there's too drastic a needle switch, my tension goes all wonky. 

I'm doing Simple Shawl with the silk + merino - a Ravelry freebie. Which is dead boring right now because there's about eighty bazillion yards of plain knitting...and then a gorgeous lace edge with a picot bind-off. So it's a patience-pay off thing... I can mindlessly knit this after I've sat at the sewing machine or taught virtual yoga classes or worked at home with the church stuff...and it works for me. 

It's 550 yards, so it'll be bigger than what the pattern calls for. I weighed the yarn, because she says to start the lace section when you have 25 grams of yarn left. I bumped it to 30 grams - to give myself wiggle room. Maybe I can add a few more rounds of lace before I do the bind off. Which will be a test of my math as well as my patience!! 

Here's the Pearlescent Fingering in the hank. I thought it would be a bit brighter, but the sheen of the silk more than makes up for the long runs of the burgundy tones. It's primarily purple-to-burgundy and the white really pops in there. The whole thing is just an exercise in amazing color work. 

I just wish it was less splitty. That's frustrating; I'm using Chiagoo lace circulars which I think helps. I didn't want to use dull points, because I think I can keep it from splitting more with the sharper points. 

I'll work on this shawl till I get sick of it, and then I'll rotate to the afghan. The socks will wait a bit. As Hubby reminded me, "you have time." 

I also bought some Quince & Co. Sparrow yarn and have a beautiful t-shirt to knit. It's definitely summer wear, since Sparrow is linen, but I wanted to challenge myself with something with shaping. So that's got to be wound. 


Oh, I have a new swift and ball winder!! And the set was on sale!!! My swift bit the dust a while back and Hubby was my stand-in. He got tired of that quickly! We'd been researching them anyway; and we came to the conclusion that this table-top model was my best bet. I don't have to clamp it to anything, and then I got the extra-large ball winder. My other ball winder works just fine; so I can wind regular hanks; just the larger ones (like the 550 yards above) were a stretch for the smaller winder. 

This works a treat and I don't have too many moving parts to fiddle with. The ball winder is a tad more complex to put together and storing it isn't fun, but it's also incentive to get my yarn room/yoga room/office in shape. I'd love to have space to keep the ball winder "handy." 

Elder Ladies...

Well, I'm lumping myself with Tippi.... COVID-19 has wreaked havoc and there's lots of drama and tragedy around. Tragedy in that this virus will kill you --- or severely impact your life if you manage to survive. And drama with the queens wailing about wanting to go out for dinner and get haircuts.... Queens of both male and female persuasion because I think all of 'em are whiny babies. 

For some reason, my stylist cut my hair shorter this last time....and thankfully!! So far, it's behaving; but it's starting to curl at the back, which is my clue that it's getting to be "a mess" sooner rather than later. I've got a good blow dryer, and I've got hair combs that I can use. But heavens.... So. Much. Hairspray.... I'm putting the hole back in the ozone layer. This is today, just before my yoga class. Believe me, if I slipped on my mat and landed on my head, my hair would protect me. And not be moved! 

Tippi has regained 90% of her coat since chemo; frankly, it's doubtful she'll ever regain her ruff, even though it's "tufting" somewhat. Her 6-month post-chemo check-up was great. Numbers are where they should be; and I got the 'she's a bit fluffy' chat...but I did deliberately let her eat a lot when she was having chemo. I felt like she needed to have that extra "beef" to carry her when she wasn't feeling well. And that also carried her thru a subsequent bout of pneumonia. Yeah, this dog doesn't do anything the easy way... This was just the other day; she's almost back to her sassy self. She spends a lot of time resting. We're easing her back into walks; the vet said to take our time but definitely have her move more. She likes to have "selective hearing" when she's doing her 'snoring meditations' on the couch. 

She's officially retired as a therapy dog. When we go back to Lewis University, it's going to just be Raisa. I'll probably take her back for one "final" visit, just so everyone can say goodbye, but at age 13.5, her back end is a little wobbly, and I want her to enjoy just being Queen of the Household. She and I will be taking more walks and just hanging out together. 

Random Picture...

This is my favorite time of year. In spite of the freeze that slightly burned my parsley and almost killed off my tomato plants. 

It's lilac time. Pro-tip: If you have allergies, try not to put a big honking vase of lilacs next to you; you'll cough and everyone will think you have COVID-19. Our bushes are 5 years old and this is the best year yet. We keep them at about 7-feet tall, and prune pretty strongly, taking all the suckers off too. 

Funny, we thought we bought 2 identical bushes - the same variety. But nope. Looks like we have two different varieties. Similar - but just slightly different. The right one (at the end of the front sidewalk) is an early bloomer, bigger blossoms, and a lighter French Lilac scent. Lighter, but still quite strong. 

The left one is blooming a bit later, smaller blossoms and a slightly sharper scent. Again, still a French Lilac, and believe me -- you can see these bushes from the end of the block and smell them 4 houses away. When I have my kitchen window open, I can smell them all the way to the back of the house. I love it. 

I know they'll "last longer" if I leave them on the bush, but I'm cutting with abandon, and letting them scent my house. I'm happy to have them and I'm happy to have neighbors walking by and taking deep, deep breaths!

Where to start...

Maybe like the song from "Sound of Music,"  -- let's start at the very beginning?

Well, maybe not THAT far back. Let's see. We left off at Happy New Year, and now, we're in the midst of one of the longest - if not THE longest - government shut down because some puling baby-handed twaddle-farted old demented man wants a wall. 

Have I got that right? Oh, and the minions who support this pile of steaming, soul-less load of manure? They're doing god-knows-what -- watching and waiting because they've got some as-yet unknown evil that they're going to gleefully spring on us. 

Yeah. 

Happy 2019, all. If anyone's reading this who voted for that batch of bacteria? I'm sorry, but you're an idiot. Have you smelled the coffee yet? 

Is it Winter Yet??

So, I did a little shopping in the town over the bridge, and as I was leaving to come back home, I took this photo. This was January 4th. It was sunny. I had no jacket on. It was a beautiful spring day. 

Except it's January. In Illinois. In winter.

I, for one, am an incredibly ardent believer, not only in science, but in facts. And in the perils of climate change. 

Tonight, we've got a forecast that's slightly more seasonal, but it's likely that we're just going to be in our usual "snow-less" bubble which we've inhabited regularly over the past 8 or 9 years, with only a few exceptions where there was a "real" winter for a few weeks. 

This is wrong on so many levels...we need the snow. Not because I'm some sort of nut. But because of the water tables. And the farmers. The farmers prefer a snowfall over drenching rains -- think about it. Snowfall usually melts gradually. Drenching rain pounds the ground, and quite often, we'll get over-saturated and then the water just runs off. Taking topsoil with it. 

None of that is good. 

We need to right the ship of climate change, now, if we can. 

All I need...


Is a few alpacas. Well. That's not going to happen. Though, for my birthday, I would love a trip to an alpaca farm.  

These critters are adorable. I've even begun following them on Instagram. 

Call me crazy, but a ruminant creature, nestled in a field, chewing cud? Kind of meditative, I think.

Oh, and we get yarn! And -- fertilizer! 

There was a school up in Grayslake that got connected with an alpaca farm and their band did a "poop fundraiser" for new instruments. They raised a lot of money. Alpaca manure looks a lot like rabbit pellets and depending on what they've been eating, it's pretty good stuff. 

I'd love to meet them up-close. I already love the yarn. I'd like to meet the source, if I can. 

Yes, I've dropped the hint to Hubby. We shall see...

Gotcha Birthday Girl...

As long-time readers know, Tippi is my rescue girl. Some days, not sure whether I rescued her or she rescued me! Anyway, January 2 is the day we celebrate her Gotcha/Birthday, since we're really not sure of her actual birthday. 

This is Her Majesty without the eerie green eyes and with no funny hats. She's beautiful. At age 11, she's showing her years a bit. Her fur is a little patchy in spots. She's got gas that would stop a charging elephant. Her teeth are showing her age. 

But she was, nonetheless, eager to snarf down her sardines. 

Quinn got some as well. Raisa does not partake because within about 10 minutes, they come back up. 

And unfortunately, Quinn will have had her last sardines...because within 4 hours, HERS came back up. That was gross. 

Yes, there's just a tiny bit of food in that big dish. Tippi gets 1/4 cup at lunch time. I can't believe she's been with us as long as she has been. And I'm hoping for many more years. I'm ignoring the grey muzzle. I'm watching as she gets up and down. And I'm still...hoping for many more years. 

Sunshine on my shoulders...

This past weekend, as I've said, was gorgeous. Hubby and I saw an item in the paper saying that eagles were at Isle a la Cache, so we figured, what the heck? We'd take a drive out there and scope it out. We went on the museum side, not the side that runs along the river. That side is usually where we bike. 

The guide told us that it "hasn't been cold enough for eagles." (Yeah, yet another reason to bemoan climate change -- birds of prey are having trouble with customary migration patterns.) But he said that there wasn't any harm in looking. 

I took a batch of pictures with the Big Camera, which I posted on Facebook. This is one from my phone. I just took a gander at my desktop to see if I'd tossed them there, and I realized my laptop's desktop is a bloody mess...I need to clean that off and file some stuff away. 

Anyhow. Great time wandering and taking pictures. No eagles. 

Not even a sparrow. 

The Knitting...

Well. I frogged the Traveling Sock. Look at the picture. Somehow, on the 9" circular needles, I managed to knit it inside-out. Take a gander at the "roll top" - this side is where the leg stitches are all in their proper places, but as you can see, the top roll is inside-out. 

When I flip it so that the top roll is correct, then the leg stitches are all purlwise. 

I suppose I could've gone on and done it like that, but something was making me twitch. So, in spite of the fact that 10" circulars are nice and quick, I frogged this. 

I may also go back to the LYS and get NINE-INCH circulars. These socks were on 72 stitches, which is large even for my "Biker Calves." I don't want droopy socks. 

Any excuse for a trip to the yarn store, right? Seriously, though - your socks should be snugly comfy. Droopy doesn't cut it. You'll have holey socks because they'll wear funny within your shoes or boots. 

Anyway, I finally -- FINALLY - finished the ribbing on the Green Socks, so I've just started the leg on that one. Singleton is getting its mate!! I think that'll be my Traveling Sock, while this yarn is in "time out" to un-kink. 

Diamond Smackdown is coming along. I had a little blip...just a minor heart-attack mistake that was, thankfully, on the knit side so it was easy to tink back and fix it. 

See that stitch two left of the stitch-marker? It's a yarn-over. I have no idea how it got there. 

Mind you, I had at least one in the Green Shawl and I didn't really mind. 

On this? I mind. I frogged it back and fixed it. Praying to the Knitting Gods and Goddesses with thanks because it wasn't on a pattern row, which would've meant un-knitting lace. 

I'm to the point where I'm weighing the yarn every pattern repeat, which is every 12 rows. I have to get to 1.76 oz before I start the decrease side. 

In this picture, you can see a bit of how the lace will lay out. Once blocked? This is going to be a stunner. The silver glitter in the yarn is impossible to see with the way I have taken the pictures, but I can't help it. Maybe I'll try the Big Camera and see what I can do. 

New Pots for Old Orchids...

Hubby has the bug, as I noted. And our new pots came in. So he's virtually taken over the orchids. 

I'm ok with that. 

No, really. I'm ok with it. 

He's been under enormous pressure at work, and he needs a hobby. If this is it, then I'm absolutely fine with it. 

Take a look. He's potted them all. And I'm woman enough to say that they'll probably survive better now than they were in the vases. 

Not that the vases don't have merit. I think it's still a good way to "air out" the roots from a store-bought phal which was packed into a little cup with bark. But our house is dry, even with diffusers running. Especially in winter. And the only place we have for them right now is near a heat vent. 

Hubby put one of the lamps over the table so that they get a little more light on these gloomy days. The pots are "ribbed" - not solid. So the moss is in there kind of loosely, and eventually, the roots can expand nicely. 

They're eventually going into the 55-gallon octagonal fish tank. He's figuring out how to balance light with the need to keep air circulating. 

I told him about an exhibition coming up in Villa Park in March. He's eyeballing it. Hmmmm, maybe I've created a monster? 

Random Picture...

So Tippi was getting all the loving. Quinn got a little jealous. She wanted up on my lap, which she used to do as a puppy. 

Almost 68 pounds later? Urpfh... 

She also likes to drape her front paws over my arm and rest her chin on my wrist. 

My friend Diana just lost her Sky - her heart dog. Quinn's a load. And when she's ready to get off my lap? Often, I've got a bruise somewhere, because she's not light!

But I'll take it. I'll take all the snuggles she wants to give me. She's worth it. And I know that one day, she will also be gone. I'm going to enjoy it while I have her willing and able to clamber up there. 

Hope your January is starting out well, and would love to hear what you've got on the needles or what you're crafting. Let's chat! 

It Got Me Thinking...

...a phone call I had today with a researcher. Not one of those, "We'd like to ask you a few questions about dish detergent" researcher. But someone from a writer's group who asked for some volunteers for a project she's working on. 

She's a "confidence coach," and was working with women, mostly entrepreneurs, to enable them to grow personally as well as professionally. 

She said to me, "You sound quite confident and balanced."

Well. Let's just say I fake it well. Because it got me to thinking. AM I as confident as I project? Some days, I don't feel it. Some days, I've got the world by the tail. MOST days? I don't feel it. I feel like I'm faking my way through it. 

I'm confident in most decisions I make, in regard to the studio, at least. And I'm confident - for the most part - in the personal decisions I make. But I think -- particularly since I'm staring 60 in the face -- that I am re-evaluating a lot of things. I'm re-evaluating what I'm choosing. What I've chosen. And where I want to go and who I want to be. 

None of this is strange. I think there are landmark birthdays where you really get set back on your heels and you have to come to full stop and think a moment or two. For me, 30 was a piffle. However, 35 hit me hard. Forty was another piffle. I saw 50 as "finally grown up." But 60? I'm not sure how I feel about that number. 

I'm not buying the "60 is the new 40" crap. Because that's a tale we tell ourselves. It's a lot like the "prosperity gospel" stuff that the televangelists preach. The only "prosperity" is theirs because you're foolish enough to send them your hard-earned money. 

Yes, I believe that you should seek out positivity. But reality is a nice place to live. Not "reality" as in "reality TV" or... the current state of the White House and the Occupant... But "reality" as in, "Let's be realistic and look at both the profits and the pitfalls of what we're thinking about here. How do we best accomplish the task or the plan that we're looking at?" 

I have a sock yarn called "Unicorn Farts." It's a fun name. It's not the nature of the world. We're not here to believe strictly in daisies, buttercups, unicorn farts, and fairies. 

Yes, it's a big, beautiful, wonderful and wonder-filled world. It's also a world where animals are abused; kids are abused; women are abused; the planet is having a major meteorological hissy fit; two crazy man-boys are pushing us to the brink of World War III. "Thoughts and prayers" only go so far. 

Reality means we get down to brass tacks and become activists and advocates for the change we want to see. However that shapes up for us, getting on the phone, writing letters, standing for something and DOING something? Much better than daisies, buttercups, unicorn farts, and fairies. 

Autumn...

Well. That was a bust. It was 95 degrees today. In Illinois. It's the first day of Fall. Mother Nature isn't done with us yet. 

I met with my friend K who came back on one of the last flights from Puerto Rico. She's kind of a basket case, not knowing what will be left after this latest hurricane. I've asked her to teach some classes at the studio -- to bring some "normal" into an entirely abnormal scenario. She commented that this weather was "certainly weird." You could say that. It's almost October. 

We've had warm-ish Octobers before. But this is August. This is "chew on the air" weather -- Illinois folks are used to an August where you can sort of slice the air and gnaw on it because it's so sticky, hot, and heavy. Not at the end of September, though. Especially since, this past August, we didn't even break 90 degrees. At all. 

According to reports, we're having a "wet and mild" winter. We need "nasty cold freezing" to (a) kill all the germs we're not used to dealing with year-round; and (b) snow enough to raise water tables. 

We shall see. Mother Nature, on behalf of the sorry, stupid human race, I apologize and beg your forgiveness. Will you stop now? Thank you. 

Sunrise...

Today on the way to work, I was, thankfully, running early for once. I had to pick up a gift card for a raffle at the office, so I was able to scoot out of the house quickly. As I drove north on Rt. 53, I noticed a heavy ground fog. So I figured I'd nip into my new "favorite place"... the old swing bridge trail. 

And I wasn't disappointed. 

Well, I was a tad disappointed. This shot is at the base of the hill, and I had to skootch up a bit to get the sun in the shot. It's only on my phone. I need to grab the big camera and try again. Don't you love the light? It was beautiful. 

Knitting...

I'm still beavering away on the shawl; it does go quickly, and my animal Reiki-practitioner friend says she has the same yarn...which is really weird since this is a rather unique yarn company and what are the odds that a yarn that was a gift to me would be in someone else's hands? Either way, if she does have it, she's got another idea of what she can knit with it... 

I'm on the 6th point, if you count the first one. There are 18 points in this pattern. Still a little freaked out about the double yarn-overs, but so far, it's been a positive experience. The way the colors are laying out is quite interesting to me. When I had the hank just laid out, I wasn't quite sure how the grey would work into all of it. It almost looked like it was going to pool like crazy, but it really isn't. It's obvious there's a "plan" to the colors, but it's not - at least to my eyes - either a traditional self-patterning or variegated. That's what's going to make this unique. 

I've already eyeballed some amethyst sock yarn that may be the next iteration of this pattern. 

For me, knitting is "process" as well as "product." I mean, there are knitters who purely love the PROCESS of knitting. The act of knitting. If they never finish something, they're just happy knitting. Other knitters are "product" knitters. They want to just get the project done so they have a "thing" knitted. 

I'm a blend of the two. I like the process. It's meditative, even when I want to throw it against a wall. I like finishing, but I don't mind having 3 or 4 (or 5 or 6) projects on the needles. I'll get it done. Except for The Dreaded Teal Sock (yeah, I know...it'll get done), I really just go from project to project. I'm not wedded to any one project. I did put the Dr. Who project bag in the car and as I was waiting for a yoga class to get out (so I could get in to teach), I put a few rows on the Sole to Sole sock. It'll get done. 

I think that's my new mantra. "It'll get done." 

I need to knit or read to recharge my batteries. I'm rather introverted, though I fake the extrovert part. And when I come home, I want to just. Sit. I need quiet, and I need to recharge somehow. These solitary pursuits help me gather myself for the next "exposure to people." Does that sound horrible? I can't help it if it does. It's true. 

Random Picture...

So when I recently cleaned off the Arlo table (used to be where our canary Arlo resided), I put up the beautiful pottery bowl from my mom's friends and I put up my Buddha. This little guy used to rest on my desk in a prior office.  For what it's worth, it didn't keep anyone calmer there... But that's another chapter in the novel. 

Close to him are the Lake Michigan rocks, notice the heart-shaped marking on the one on the left. From the left, the next rock down is raw citrine, then a rounded, faceted garnet (middle). Up toward the right is raw jade, and then the other Lake Michigan rock. Over to the left, you can see a peek of my chalcedony bracelet. 

I was looking for a "tray" of some sort, and after rummaging in the closet, I came out with this Mikasa "cookie tray" that I got at a close-out sale with the thought that I'd give it as a gift. It's small -- too small for my cookie trays. But it's perfect, because even when I eventually gather more crystals/stones, they'll sit nicely on this little tray. I'm learning about crystals, but for me, it's not necessarily what their "powers" are. It's just that I like them. I find beauty in them, whether raw or polished or faceted. They're a "gazing point" for me. You take your "piece of quiet" where you can find it. 

News Filters Everyone Can Use...

So Rex Huppke is definitely getting cookies for Christmas. He nailed it again in his column in today's Chicago Tribune. "It's Sen. McConnell's world, and only his news lives in it" -- see if you can find it, because the Tribune site is slightly weird.

Anyway, apparently, Mr. Mitchy only wants news HE wants. Huppke indicated that at a recent news conference, Mitchy "made it clear that bad Obamacare news was all he was willing to discuss."

Here's the quote, right from his own mouth: "I prefer the news of that day to be what I'd like for it to be rather than what you all may be interested in pursuing."

Alllllllll-righty thennnnnnnnnn. I guess the only news I want to hear is stuff about cute fluffy puppies and a great yarn sale. Oh, and a good book sale, too, please. 

And, apparently, in the most recent news conference, President Obama says that he's just fine with your insurance company CONTINUING to sell you crappy insurance. Here's the CNN link. So basically, you can keep your crappy insurance for another year. Good luck with that, since that crappy insurance basically covers nothing. 

And if you all remember (or care to look it up), people were also slow to sign up for RomneyCare - human beings are procrastinators. They figure they have till January at least, so why rush? Apparently, there are people who have actually paid for coverage, but people who - like a lot of internet shoppers, have the policy "in their cart" but are not (for whatever reason - see said procrastination) paying for it yet. 

Again, remember: The insurance companies basically wrote this legislation. Nobody -- I mean NOBODY -- should believe that this is "health-care reform." It's only very basic "insurance reform" and it looks like it's not even very basic now. 

Yoga...

So our friends at Lululemon are still at it. Winning friends and influencing yogis all across the globe, I guess. First you have sheer pants. Then you recall them, bring them all new pants, and now, you say "sheer" is basically because women wearing Lulu pants are "fat." Yep. See this petition at change.org - and the statements of their tone-deaf president. Here's the thing. I got the "stink-eye" when I went to a Lulu store a while ago. I was heavy. Well, no. I was fat. Obviously, the stick-thin mannequins in the store should've told me what I needed to know. But the condescending eyeball of the saleswoman? That did it. 

I would never buy yoga clothes from that store, even if they did buckle and make them in something larger than "Barbie-size." 

As far as my training is going, I'm working on the book reports; still haven't done much on the thesis work. I need to start that research and the get a script written. And then get Hubby to help videotape it all. 

And I have to get in 2 private lessons, plus a couple of "karma yoga" sessions (free to under-served populations). I will be setting those up in the studio where I teach; I've already gotten permission. 

Knitting...

Finished the latest Fluffy Scarf. I have only 2 more to go! Yay! 

I have the pink Opal sock to work on, and I think that over the Christmas break, I will start a sweater. My friend D actually gave me a sweater that no longer fits her, and all it needs is a sleeve. Problem is, she's still looking for that last ball of yarn... Anyway, if that yarn is found, I may well just finish that one. 

Health...

Well, the eye infection I got over the weekend is healing. It still looks like I've been up for a couple nights in a row, but I'm not itching and I can go outside without acting like Bela Lugosi in a vampire movie.

And how about those new cholesterol guidelines?? Yeah - just put MORE people on statins since they work so well... Basically, the experts say that doctors need to sort patients into 4 groups (those 4 groups are the ones for whom statins are recommended): patients with heart disease; all people ages 40-75 with Type II diabetes; those with LDL cholesterol of 190+; and anyone who has a 7.5% or greater risk of developing heart disease or stroke in the next decade.  That last category worries me, because that could be any of us. 

The estimates are that now, with these new guidelines, up to thirty million (yep, THIRTY million) people could be put on statins. 

We all know that high LDL is bad. And we often feel (at least *I* often feel) that doctors are at the mercy of Big Pharma. They don't push the most common-sense things to do: Lose weight and exercise. Cut out crap food. Move more, eat less.

And that's because that stuff is hard, and I'm sure they've made that speech a zillion times, only to be told, "Doc I just can't do it." Well, big difference between "can't" and "won't." There's no magic pill, folks. 

Statins are not nice drugs. Sure, they benefit some. But look at what the Mayo Clinic says about the side effects. Muscle pain and damage. Liver damage. Digestive damage. Increased blood sugar. And the ever-wonderful "neurological side effects."  Women are the most prone to these side effects, too. Aren't we lucky?

Thanks, I'll keep trying the old-fashioned way to keep my numbers where they need to be. 

Music...

Trying desperately to learn 3 new pieces for church. In addition to memorizing a guitar piece. And - I haven't been able to attend the rehearsals. Urgh. Hubby put the music on Sibelius (v. 7) and I'm picking away at it. Our strongest alto is in Florida and presumably will be there through Christmas. Drats. 

The trouble is, it seems that two of the pieces are right in the middle of my range. I'm soprano-to-alto, and this is some sort of weird tenor-ish stuff. Oh well. I have to learn the alto part, so off we go. 

Reading...

Just downloaded Amy Tan's latest and can't wait to dive in. I love her writing. "The Valley of Amazement" is a story about a Chinese courtesan. She said in an interview that it "may be" based on some family history. 

Well, reading that, the Yarn Harlot (again) and the yoga books. It's keeping me busy, that's for sure. 

I have yet to dig into the Portable Faulkner that the kids got me for Christmas. I did ask them for 2 yoga books, though. They wanted to know what I wanted for Christmas and I don't need anything else. 

Except those slippers I mentioned a while ago, and I know Hubby is already getting those for me. 

Random Picture...

Comfy Tippi

Yes. Amazing Tippi cuteness. This was her, on Hubby's lap, last night. Of course, it does look uncomfortable. But she just gets in these weird positions. She has been known to curl herself up into this little grey donut shape and cuddle with me when she's stressed.

She's also been known to take up the entire couch. All 6 feet of it. I suppose if you stretch, extend your curly tail and just look as if you owned the furniture, the humans will let you be.

I've had very "flexy-bendy" dogs, apparently, because I'm also including one of Quinn. If you can see, her nose is about 2" from the floor. 

Quinn headstand

Yes, upside down, getting a belly rub from Kid #2. She plows onto the couch, stares at me if I happen to be sitting next to Hubby, and then HUBBY moves, so that Quinn can sit between us. 

When Kid #2 is on the couch, she barrels up there, puts her head down, and flips her butt over so that he can rub her belly. And as soon as I can catch that on video, I will do that. 

Photos...

It seems as if the majority of the pictures on my phone are dog pictures. Very rarely kid pictures, though I did warn the kids that this Thanksgiving, we're taking pictures to put up on our family's Christmas website.

We've given up writing the annual Christmas letter. They're usually tossed anyway. But this year, since I have all those pics from our trip, we are going to do our ecological duty, saving paper, and just including a link in our Christmas cards. If you want to look at it, fine. If not, I'll never know!

Off to learn that music. Can anyone help me figure out why my external speakers are not working??? Ugh.