It's Groundhog Day All Over Again...

So the rodent saw his shadow. Or he didn't. Either way, y'all know it means "6 weeks till spring" or "6 more weeks of winter." Six weeks, either way you cut it. 

We survived the Polar Vortex. And I got knitting done... 

All the Knitting...

So. Here's a picture of my "sock drawer." It's not really a drawer. It's a plastic "lock and load" tote (which isn't its real name, but that's what I call it). 

There are 11 pairs of socks in there. I'm hoping to get to an even dozen in the next month or so. 

Pairs 1 and 3 are Regia Fluromania. I'm not sure that's even "a thing" nowadays. I tried to give a skein of it away but nobody wanted it. I may just knit that one up. They're fun socks and they seem to wear ok. The colors run a bit, particularly the reds and pinks, but they're socks. Not too troubled by that. 

Pair #2 is my only pair, so far, with worsted weight. They're done in Cascade 220, 100% pure wool. They're done on size 3 DPNs, which makes them the sturdiest, warmest, and cushiest hiking socks I have. The only thing I'd have done differently was to do my now habitual 6-row curl on the cuff. They can be a bit snug on my "biker calves." 

Pair # 4 (blue & grey) are OnLine sock yarn; that yarn was a gift in a random sock yarn exchange, and I wasn't too sure about it, but it's very much like Opal and I'd use it again.

Pairs 5, 6, 9 and 10 are all Opal, mostly self-patterning, with the pink being a stripey sort of pinkish -- and the oldest next to the hiking socks. 

Pair 7, tucked in there, are the DREADED TEAL SOCKS. Trekking XL, which I have more of in stash and I'm regretting buying it. I won't use it again. It's thin and a pain to work with. I like the Ovarian Cancer Teal, but I don't like the feel of the socks. Could be I've still got a grudge that I lost the pattern and it took me FIVE YEARS to complete those things... 

Pair #8 is a Madeline Tosh discontinued shade called Robin's Nest. I like the colorway, and the softness, but I don't like the pilling. And I should've made the legs longer...

Pair #11 is my only (so far) Sweet Georgia. Very cushy, slightly droopy (cast on 72, and they're kinda big), and comfy. Chai Tea, I think is the colorway. 

I have 3 sets of singletons: Bigger on the Inside, Sole to Sole, and Green Traveling. And I'm on the heel flap of Petty Harbour, which I don't consider a singleton, since the first one isn't even done yet. That and Green Traveler are coming along nicely. 

And I have a FINISHED OBJECT. Though it's not blocked. Yes, it's Diamond Smackdown. From December 24, 2018 to tonight - except for a blip where I ran out of yarn (yeah, I lost yarn chicken on a "weigh the yarn to know when to decrease" pattern... I'm still trying to figure that one out). I think I didn't get gauge, but then the pattern said, "gauge doesn't matter." Howsomuchever... it's done. Not blocked, but done. 

On the left is Skein #2, which I had to order, in the middle of the Polar Vortex, because I wasn't driving to Bloomington (a 2-hour, almost 200-mile round trip) in a driving blizzard... Above is a picture that Hubby took trying to show up the glitter, and it isn't working. But suffice to say, it's lovely yarn. MadTosh (as it's now called, see the sock section above) and it's Light Merino Glitter, in Copper Pink. The color is more rose-gold and it's got a lovely halo that doesn't show up in the pictures. 

It's not blocked yet, so you don't really see the diamond pattern. It'll show up nicely in a day or so; I'm hoping to block it tomorrow. 

It should block out a wee bit bigger than the original pattern, since there's about 450 yards of yarn in there. I haven't weighed the remainder of Skein #2, but I suppose I can get a shortie pair of socks, or a nice pair of wristlets out of it. Or a hat. Won't likely be terribly warm, but it would look nice. 

I like the drape and I like the feel of this yarn. I have to aggressively block out the diamonds, so I'm hoping it doesn't flatten, like the Grapevine Lace scarf did. 

Overall, I liked the pattern too. It was a nice knit and it obviously went pretty fast. I'm not the speediest knitter, and it was very quick for me. And I wasn't terribly bored. I would knit the pattern again, but I'd make sure I had 2 skeins of whatever I was using. Or I'd have sense enough to split the skein in the first place. You'd have to do a yarn that wasn't self-striping, I think, because it does get pretty wide at the apex of the triangle; stripes wouldn't work, if you were using sock yarn in particular. I'm sure I've got some hand-painted in the stash if I felt like repeating this. 

And --- drumroll here... We had Wednesday off because of the extreme temps. So I pulled out Kid #2's afghan!! 

I got the burgundy stripe done and I'm on the second of the grey stripes. I thought I'd gotten some black to stick in there, but I can't find it, and I do want to get this thing done. It's 5 years overdue and I just need to get on with it. It's a simple chevron pattern, which is kind of nice for a guy. 

It's in Caron Simplicity, which has a nice sheen to it and it's washable. Yes, it's acrylic, and yes, I'm a huge yarn snob. But I'd rather make it easy to take care of for right now. 

That's ginger tea in the snowman mug. It was so cold that even the mug was wearing "knitted" items!!

Seriously, I can zip along with this, and it's relatively mindless after a few rows, so it's going to be my main project for a bit, interspersed with the socks. 

My goals are to finish this afghan, finish the singletons and then concentrate on the February Lady Sweater and diving into the stashed projects to move along on them. I seem to be in a "finishing" mood, so I'm gonna "get skippy" and plow onward. 

The 2019 Polar Vortex...

Well, for a while there, the Chicago area was colder than Antarctica. Nevermind that it's actually summer down there...The point is, we were at "hold my beer" cold temps. We were actually the epicenter of the cold front. Lake Michigan froze. 

My car's thermometer read -21* when I went to go walk my mom's dog. Yes, we went out. We weren't going to let my mother outside; she doesn't have the coat for it, and she's old. (Sorry, mom...truth)


Her dog, a small one, did a double-fast run each of the 3 times we took him out, and actually didn't want to go out 2 of the 3 times. He's no dummy... 

My selfie skills still stink, but here I am, mostly bundled up. The sun is deceiving. It was stinkin' cold out and my fingers tingled just taking that picture. 

We had tracks in the yard, and I tossed out birdseed, but remarkably, everyone and everything was holed up for the most part. 

The snow was beautiful. The sunshine made everything sparkle. I could wax poetic, but suffice to say that the beauty was certainly there, and if you didn't gripe about the cold, you could see the force of Mother Nature and see the artistry as well. 

So Thursday, we were all "back to normal." At the office the lot wasn't plowed, which didn't make anyone happy. Dragging yourself through 6" of snow on top of ice was fun. 

And then there were the "killer icicles" hanging off the awnings. I took a broom to them. 

All the parks were closed on Wednesday (I know I'm jumping around here, but I've got the pics stashed here and I didn't want to joggle too much around). I tried to take some photos, but (a) I didn't bring out the big camera because of the weather; and (b) I couldn't get very far because of all the gates up... I had to settle for some parking lot shots, which were impressive enough. Again - look at how blue the sky is! It was gorgeous and after being cooped up in the house? The air was bracing. Freezing, yeah. But it felt good to be out and in the weather. 

Mind you, that coat you see me wearing is old - almost 25 years, to be exact, and it's rated for -40* so I was warm enough from my head to mid-thigh. My boots were also "sub-zero" boots, so from toes to mid-calf I was fine. Mittens, and the "Russian Hat" that I borrowed from Hubby completed the ensemble, as well as a pretty good-sized scarf under there. The jacket has a hood with a "face flap" that I could have used too. 

Yesterday, I took some pics out the other office building (working 3 jobs, I get a lot of variety in my photos!). This was off the back steps. I was singing at a funeral, so I was dressed for that - otherwise, I was itching to get out and stomp around in all that untouched snow. 

And...today it's all starting to melt. So you saw my thermometer reading -21*...and today I was out at the grocery store in a light jacket with the thing unzipped. 

Seriously. It was 39* and it felt like spring. 

The weather is going to get up into the 50s. So almost a total temperature switch in the next several days. I hate that. I mean, I get it - the planet is going crazy. But it's a sure bet that lots of us will be sick with the switching temps. Almost every municipality here has flood warnings out, too. We're surrounded by rivers, and the ice break-up and snow melt will be causing some problems. 

It's February, so I'm not saying winter is over. Right now, it's just having a moment. 

The Bread that Cost me a Finger...

Well, not really, but almost. I was making some stuff for a meeting we have coming up, and I thought, "I'll do casserole bread." It's super simple and versatile. And yummy. So I dug out some Jarlsberg cheese and some dill. And my old Corning Ware casseroles that you can't find anymore unless you haunt thrift stores. 

I needed to grease them more liberally, actually. Hubby and I managed to snarf down that loaf on the right (as you can see, it's got a crack in it). The one on the left is going to the meeting. We have some folks (I'm one of them) who don't do a lot of sweet stuff - I mean, I've got an awful sweet tooth, but for morning meetings? I'm not a "danish and donut" fan. 

I was slicing off the waxy label on the cheese when I managed to jab myself in the left index finger with the paring knife. As I ran to the sink to flood my finger, I hollered to Hubby to check that I didn't bleed on the cheese. He was fussing at me, and said, "You should've used a larger knife." 

Why? So I could REALLY take off the finger??? Thankfully, since the colonoscopy, I hadn't been taking my blood thinner... I've got a bandage on it and it's put a little crimp in my guitar playing, but at least I still have a finger. 

The other thing I made for the meeting are Panko Parmesan Sausage Balls... Super simple, and they look pretty good. 

Panko Parmesan Sausage Balls

Makes 24-25

Oven at 350*, line a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick foil.

1 roll breakfast sausage
1 c. leeks
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 T. oil
1 c. Panko bread crumbs
2 eggs
3/4 c. shredded Parmesan
Salt, pepper, Italian Seasoning
3 T. chopped pimiento

Saute the leeks in the oil till they're translucent, then add garlic for about 2 minutes - don't burn it! 

Place everything else in a bowl. Add the leeks + oil. Mix well (use your hands). Form into balls about 1 1/2" around and place kind of close together on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350* and then turn them with a pair of tongs. Bake for another 15 minutes. Drain. Serve warm. 

When I get to the meeting, I'll warm these up. 

Random Picture...

Tippi has been awfully cuddly lately. And she's taken to getting up on the couch when we're around for a snuggle. That's one relaxed dog there... 

Usually what happens is that the two of them, Tippi & Quinn, stare at one or the other of us, and we go sit in the middle of the couch... then miraculously, we have an elkhound on either side of us. 

Today, I had to hand over my studio keys to one of my teachers, and she said, "Oh, I hear your dogs." No. You only heard Quinn...Yeah, she can sound like 2 or 3 dogs all by herself. 

Hopefully, you're enjoying your Groundhog Day and you've got lots of fun stuff planned for the next few weeks! Let's chat! 

Oh, Poo....

Did you know that if you heat chicken broth too much it tastes like...boiled water? Well, it does. Why, you ask, are you heating up chicken broth? Flu? Tummy troubles?

Nope. Nothing that thrilling. 

I'm prepping for my "regular" colonoscopy/endoscope adventure. It's been a little over 10 years, and I'm a bit overdue. What prompted me was the combo of the food poisoning + the antibiotic for my Traitorous Tooth. Trashed me tummy fer sure...

So - in a hunt for "whatever else is going on," my gastro guy has scheduled this. 

I'm just as thrilled as you can imagine. The 20-minute nap is not the problem. It's the prep, the day before. And don't be fooled by the "weight loss." About 85% of it is water anyway. One matcha latte and I'm back to square one. With a sore bum...

Clear liquids, nothing red, and citrate of magnesium. Which some fool thought would be good "flavored." Ummmm. It's not. It's disgusting. 

I can't even have my "bugs" tonight -- that super-duper probiotic. Because, why? I mean, seriously, they're not gonna stick around. I've tried to avoid having them in yogurt because I didn't want the extra calories, but most times, that's the easiest way to get them down. The stuff in water tastes like yeast, which isn't pleasant. Once all of this is over, I'm hoping that everything (tummy included) is back to normal. 

I'm still going to talk to a nutritionist about the lingering symptoms of IBS. The gastro guy said that they could last for a long time. I'm still not sure what triggers it; just knowing that it's a possibility is really not fun. I don't know how those folks who live with this condition even function. 

I'll tell you though: the organic chicken broth I bought was kind of a genius move. The protein is helping my stomach. Last time around, I over-dosed on pineapple gelatin. I'm thinking that all that sugar was not a good idea. So I got the broth; it's fat-free, and I think next go round, I'll add a touch of olive oil to it. I'm not starving; and I've skipped plenty of meals. But I know with the reflux, I need to do something to keep my stomach reasonably happy, all things considered. And this helps. 

Birthday Goodies...

I had a birthday recently and several nice things happened. First, Scone Guy at the office brought scones for us! A few days before my actual birthday, but still... Mine has a decorated label-- well, they all do, but I thought this was terribly cute. 

And what was inside? Well. I did NOT share with Hubby. Call me cruel. But I didn't, so there it is. I actually traded with "C" in the office; he'd given me 2 of them with jalepeno peppers. Not happening, even WITH a decent gut.  These beauties are (on the left) a chocolate chip scone and two "bacon and cheese" scones. 

Ummmmmmmmm. I make a decent "double raisin + cinnamon" scone, but he's got the savory stuff down. The funny thing is, that chocolate one? He's allergic to chocolate. He's got no idea how they taste. Except when we tell him. We really appreciate the treats. And this timing was perfect. I was up to my eyeballs in insurance verifications, and was what my granny would call "stagger-blind" from an office with a set-up whereby I'm this|close to the monitor and frankly? I was kinda cranky and my eyeballs ached. These? Fixed me right up!

And to my own chagrin, I thought Hubby had forgotten (long story...). He texted me when I got to work to say, "I didn't forget - mornings are hectic" -- which they are, truly. Crazed. Insane. 

I had mentioned a while ago that I'd like a Morganite pendant. And this is what he came up with. I'm delighted. 

It's set in rose gold; matches my earrings and the ring he got me a couple of Christmas' ago. I love the tiny diamonds around it. I'm horribly hard on rings, so we do keep it simple with those - I'm either reaching into the bowels of a machine, pulling something from under or out of a dog, or gardening and forgetting that I'm actually wearing rings. 

I've worn it a couple of times and it's just a lovely, simple piece that means a lot to me. 

Then, since my birthday was on a Wednesday, we didn't go out anywhere. My mom kind of yelled at me, but he's got to get up before the chickens, and I get up WITH the chickens. Normally, both of us are fighting to stay awake past 8 p.m. 

Maybe after the "colon cleanse" is done, we'll go out somewhere. God knows, both of us will have earned it by then! 

But anyway, I was eating a sandwich I think. And I wondered if I'd saved a few of Kid #2's "Surprise Ganache Cookies." Lo and behold!! Dessert! 

And, Hubby doesn't particularly like them. He's honestly not a fan of chocolate; but he did ask me if I wanted a candle stuck in one of them... 

These are a "mistake" -- or more properly, an "experiment." Kid #2 was trying to make a rolled cookie, but somehow, the dough slouched a bit, the ganache held, but oozed beautifully, and he then dusted it with cocoa. 

Well. Yum. That is all. I told him that these were my "new favorite" and that henceforth, they were to be included. 

That's what you get when you're a competent baker. 

Knitting with Crystals...

Well, I don't knit with crystals. But I was knitting on the Diamond Smackdown shawl, and my eyes kept being drawn to my crystal bowl full of crystals. 

Good news: I'm past the half-way point and have started the decreases! And as luck would have it (whisper here, so as not to tempt the Knitting Gnomes...), I managed to work it so that it landed just about where it should on the scale, so it should be clear sailing to the end. 

The crystals? Well, there's a rather nice piece of Labradorite, several amethysts, an opal and a citrine + amethyst combination. Allegedly, citrine is "before amethyst" chemically. All I know is that the pale tone of this nearly crystal stone is kind of nice and oddly satisfying to hold. The Labradorite is that greenish hunk up there at the top left with a sheen to it. The opal is right next to it. The striated amethysts you can see. The clear lavender stones are at the bottom of the heart. 

Every so often, I take them in my hands and just meditate. I was an idiot and didn't put them out on the window sill for the blood moon, but I tell myself that we didn't really have a good shot at it anyway. The one window nearest? Our house has large eaves - so you can't see much "up" when you want to. 

One of my friends did "moon water," bottles of water that were set out in the moonlight. I figured that at 22* outside, I'd have had "moon ice," and that wouldn't have been cool. (see what I did there? pun?) 

Anyway, back to knitting. Still absolutely loving this. The decreases are coming along nicely, and I need to ask Hubby how to catch the sparkles of the silver threads running through this yarn. So far, I've had no success, but I'm sure I need to use the Big Camera to do that. 

It's smooth sailing and I'm so looking forward to blocking and wearing it. 

And like I said a few blogs ago - I seem to be monogamous with these projects after a certain point. I've got single socks to do and I really should start some "stash baby" gifts, just in case. But - I'm plowing along on this one. 

I've got another one in mind, as well as finishing a few WIPs that are staring at me since I've tried to reorganize my space. Which I should also be plowing through, since I'm sitting here, but my excuse is "bathroom calls." And I'm sticking to it. I have weekends to mess with that ongoing project of "I need my office back." It's a giant step forward that the laptop is now back here permanently. 

Blood Moon...

So, we talked about Hubby's and my schedules. There was apparently "the only blood moon of 2019" and we missed most of it. He said that at 4 a.m., it was "ok" but not red. I stayed up till a little past 9:30 p.m. and caught...not much of anything. I know folks got better pictures, but it is what it is. My phone's camera is crap, I'm telling you. I didn't buy it for the camera. It's a phone. 

But I tried to catch a bit of the magic through the tree, figuring that would help with focus. Nope. I will tell you, though, barring the freezing weather, I could've just sat and watched. 

To me, the moon is magical. There's a reason for all the lore, and the songs, and the tall tales. Last night, I saw the "face" in the moon and it was so big and so bright... I wish I could've stayed up to watch the whole thing, but 2 a.m. was way too late for me. 

On my drive to work this morning, though? The full moon was wearing a veil...the pinkish clouds were swathing Sister Moon, and the icy air captured some of last night's magic. 

I work in a fairly dull municipality, and often, honestly, I'm on auto-pilot on the drive there. I mean, I'm well aware of traffic because of all the freight -- too many trucks sometimes! But normally, I'm not looking up. 

Today, I had a hard time concentrating because I kept looking up. Sister Moon was in her lavender sky and I was just a-gog. 

The Women's March 2019...

Yes, we marched again this year. There's some sturm-und-drang with the national organization so my friends at Southwest Suburban Activists pulled together with a number of other grassroots groups and "Hey, kids, let's put on a march!" (2 points if you get the Judy Garland/Micky Rooney reference there. Three points if you can name the movie!)

I took pictures, as I usually do, and yet I still wanted a sign for the march. Mary Englebreit provided some beauties for the march, as she always does. This is the one I chose, and I also printed out the 11 x 17 version, which I'll frame and put in my office. It's black-and-white; I added color to make it more visible, and Hubby gave me a long stir-stick and put together a cardboard support, then "laminated" the whole thing with packing tape. 

I stuck it behind my neck as I was wandering around photographing the event. I must've been approached by about a dozen people. Many women wanted ME to use their phones to take pictures of THEM holding MY sign! A few folks wanted to take a picture - of the thing sticking out the back of my neck... Oh well. The point is...the sign. Here are a few more pics from the event...Your Random Picture(s) for this entry of the blog. 

The buttons... tons 'o buttons. 

 That'll teach you to call us "snowflakes."

As long as it's snowing, you may as well enjoy yourself before you march...  
 

 So many kids and parents... 

And the one that "won the signs." 

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! 

Happy New Year!

Pink mitts. Check.
MIL's shawl. Check. 
Fleece-lined slippers. Check.

It's a dreary day here in blogland. Actually, it's been a dreary week. Monday was rain. LOTS of rain. Today, the frost took over, but now, with the sun going down, as I sit by my window? It's chilly. It's 29 degrees but "feels like" 22.... Cold. 

My dad would say, "colder than a well-digger's belt buckle." Or something even more pithy... I've had enough tea to float a battleship, and I've given up. Just now, I'm bundling up and hoping to warm up. You'd think a hot flash would fix this, but somehow, when it gets cold, they disappear. That's not handy... 

Eventually, I'll warm up. I usually do. Sunshine, though. Sunshine would be nice. 

Here's a mug that Kid #2 gave me for Christmas. Posted it on Instagram, and I'm tellin' ya - it struck a chord. Lots of hearts for this one. 

With the RBG movie out now, it's particularly timely. And with her recent cancer surgery, everyone's offering to give her their lungs, wrap her in bubble wrap and basically donate their healthier, younger bodies to her. Heck, I'd donate mine. I may not be the healthiest person on the planet, but I'm a good 20 years younger than she is, and even with the heart issues, I'm good to go. 

I haven't exactly been sitting on my tush all day drinking tea. It only sounds like it, right? Today, I had a whole day off. A whole day to myself, mostly. I asked Hubby if he wanted to take the Christmas tree down, but the one on the dining room table is still up. My mom's/granny's ceramic tree has been removed to its place of safekeeping in the basement. It needs a new light, but it's so old we have to figure out what kind of bulb we can put in there. It may be that I won't be able to light it anymore, because it has no way to vent out the heat. Old-time ceramics, you see. 

So off and on, I've been dusting, trashing junk, and moving things around, trying for organization. As it is, this weekend, Hubby and I are tackling The Office (a/k/a The Pit of Despair). My plan is to get my laptop back into that room (right now, I'm in the middle of the living room), and work on doing some videos and Facebook lives. A friend of mine and I are going to do weekly gratitude meditations, and right now? The living room isn't ideal. 

Looks Like Dinner...

Yesterday, New Year's Eve, we didn't go out. We're not "going out" people. So Hubby made potato soup, and we bought some "bake your own" ciabatta rolls. Of course, we've got leftovers. Lots of them. Which is fine - because, again, crappy weather is soup weather. Tonight, we have a rustic loaf which we'll warm and have...soup. It's always better the second night anyway. 

And somehow, my stomach has gone on strike. 

I'm not sure why. The food poisoning and my antibiotic "purge" have both been long over. I'm taking the mega-expensive probiotic to repopulate my gut. 

But it's being very balky, and the GERD is flaring up like nobody's business. So I'm kind of not eating. It's working, sort of. I wish I could say I'm losing weight, but at this point, I'll settle for not being in pain when I'm ready to go to bed. 

There's nothing as disheartening as your stomach trying to crawl up your esophagus when you lay down to sleep. Disheartening and painful. Very painful. 

I've started exercising more frequently, which is good. I'm not trying to "beat myself up" but I'm trying to move more. Using a Bodyblade, which only takes about 3 minutes (if that) and your arms are feeling it. The squatting part isn't hard - but hey, I'm squatting in yoga all the time. Using my arm hula hoops. Working the upper body with that and lower body with yoga. 

Hopefully, I can keep the momentum. I'm going to try. 

Hubby's Got the Bug...

So here's an update of my orchid area. And boy-o-boy --- Hubby's now got the bug. He helped me repot a few of them and there you go. He's working on using an old 55-gallon aquarium of ours that's been sitting in the basement to make a terrarium for them. He rearranged the lights so that the table here gets a bit more sun (gloomy weather, right?). 

We joined the American Orchid Society and he's been perusing the back issues of their magazine. He's fascinated with all the many species and a bit bedazzled, if you want my opinion. We're going to go on a road trip to a local orchid specialist so he can take a look.

I really don't want more than what I have here, and I really don't want to get into the crazier species. Frankly, they freak me out! But I'm happy to have something we can do together. Just now, he was over at the "orchid altar" and looking to see who needs misting. It's so cute. 

The Knitting...

I've set aside the Diamond shawl. I'm committed to working on some singleton socks. I've gotta get their mates done. I'm over having Second Sock Syndrome. 

I've weighed the ball for the Diamond Smackdown. I'm still at a little over 3 oz, and the half-way point is about 2 oz. Remarkably, one ounce goes a long way. 

The first singleton I'm working on is the Green Traveling Sock. This one, the first sock has a bum star-toe (gotta work on that more...it used to be my favorite toe), and the foot is about 1/2 - 3/4" too short. I mean, it fits because it stretches, but it's not my fave. I don't know what I was thinking -- or what I was measuring...but it's a rookie mistake. 

I started it New Year's Eve. My usual pattern is to do an "exchange." 

When I've got all the stitches on the DPNs, I take the first stitch off the right-hand needle (technically, needle #4) and put it on Needle 1 (the left-hand needle). And switch that first stitch onto the 4th needle. It helps "close the gap." But it's a bit of a challenge sometimes. I usually take the #4 stitch last, because it's the last one cast on, so it's got a little flexibility. 

Then, 6 rows of knitting, to curl the end. Helps me get it over my high instep. Then the ribbing. 

Now, in all honesty, I despise ribbing. I just don't like K2, P2 -- or even worse, K1, P1. I can never get the tension right; I get ladders sometimes, in spite of tugging the first 2 stitches on each needle. And it's boring. 

You may ask, "isn't stockinette boring?" Well, yes, but no. Yes, because it's straight-up knitting. But no, because in about 7" total, I'm doing a heel flap, which is fun. And the heel turn comes next.


Which is magical. 

When I get there, I'll post some pics. 

Anyway, I got to thinking about it. 

Bored.

Bored. 

Bored...

But I need to flip that paradigm. I need to get my mind around it in another way. I need to change "boring" to "plugging through." 

So I thought, why not just take a quick break to blog, and then literally plow through the rest of the ribbing? Get it done with and move on. 

I normally do 15-16 rows of ribbing. And I have to make this one identical to the other one. Except I think I'll do the foot properly... So it's 16 rows of ribbing. I'm on row 4. It'll be done by the time the Dr. Who New Year's Day special is on. I know it. 

Yet another mug. I dug this one out of the other cabinet in the kitchen. I have 2 large snowman "latte" style mugs. One of them is really not a good mug; when you heat it in the microwave, it burns your hands to bits. 

This one isn't that one. It held my morning green tea matcha latte. I try to drink that as often as I can, and when I make mine, it's a lot less sweet than the stuff you get at Starbucks. 

That went down nicely. 

Knitting goals for 2019? Well, normally, I don't set goals. I used to, but then I got discouraged, so that took a lot of the fun out of it. When knitting becomes a "chore," it's not a hobby anymore. 

So here's What I'd Like to Happen in 2019 for my knitting. 

1. Finish the singleton socks.
2. Finish the February Lady Sweater.
3. Finish the Before and After peacock color scarf (there are 2 to this project) and figure out how to add beads to the ends. 
4. Finish Kid #2's afghan.
5. Learn cables.

That's it. We'll see how it goes. 

Random Picture...

I got the girls (well, 2 of them - the usual suspects) to wear New Year's hats. I had to whistle to get that Elkie Head Tilt. 

We tried to stay up, but I lasted till 11:30 p.m. Tippi slept with me, on the floor, though, and Hubby told me that at midnite there were fireworks for about 20 minutes. 

Well. Coulda fooled me... I heard a few of them. Got Quinn in her crate, gave them both "boom boom cookies" (dog cookies with CBD oil on them), had Kunzea in the diffuser. Tippi also slept through it, apparently. 

We had a quiet day today. Both are now zonked out next to me in the living room. 

I really wanted to stay up till midnight. I had it all planned. I had some cookies, a special tea I was going to enjoy. I even had a face mask I was going to treat myself to. 

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd.... I got tired. 

Oh well. 

New Years came without me. It's ok. 

What did you do special to bring in the new year? Any plans? Let's chat!