Feeties and FOs

La suggested we should post pictures of feets. Cute feets, preferably. I have risen to the challenge. But first, a FO.

Fetchings:


They're so... what's the word?

Started Sunday, 2/25 and finished Wednesday, 2/28
Bachelor Button Shine Worsted, from Knitpicks, most of two balls bought for this very purpose
Mods: I added two cable repeats at the top, and decreased five of the four-stitch cables to two-stitch cables to tighten up the gap.

Nice pattern, easy to do, and I can't wait to have them for the office.

Click here to see what it looked like when I decided to swap the positions of a four-stitch cable and a two-stitch cable, after the fact.

And now for the feeties.


Pre-bath feeties



During-bath feeties



Post-bath feeties

ETA: there isn't anything wrong with his feet, he just likes to curl his toes


Fluffy toes



Greta toes



Peaches' toes



Toes and nose



Airborne toes

And for La, chubby fingers:


Note the raised pinky

And because I can, his newest favoritest toy ever:



He climbed in there all by himself

Things I like

BigAlice posted a random list of things she likes, and I like it.

Things I like:

• Big Alice's list
• The smell of pine trees on a hot day
• Sitting by the fire
• Hummingbirds (especially the whirring noise when they buzz by your head)
• The sound of moving water, any kind
• The smell of rain on a hot sidewalk, and that creosote smell after the rain clears
• Major thunder and lightning
• Watching my son smile when he goes down the Big Boy slide
• That trilling noise he makes when he hears an airplane
• Nibbling his toes while I get his jammies on
• The way he works his hands under my hair to give me a big hug
• Periwinkle
• Blue cheese in my salad
• Walking home
• Early morning in a quiet house, when the birds are awake outside
• Kitten toes
• My dog Fluffy's extra soft ears
• The way she groans in ecstasy when I scratch said ears
• Colors, lots and lots of colors
• Classical guitar
• Spanish guitar
• Electric guitar
• Blues guitar
• Stevie Ray Vaughn
• Eric Clapton
• Shannon Curfman
• Kenny Wayne Shepherd
• Celtic knots
• Cables
• Cables with Celtic knots
• Hand knit socks
• Floating in the pool at twilight
• Eating dinner on the deck
• Drinking coffee on the deck
• Potted flowers
• Leaving the front door open when my jasmine vine blooms
• Fresh lavender
• Broccoli with garlic and olive oil
• Maple creams from See's
• Icicles
• Christmas lights
• Reading lists of other people's favorite things

Thanks

So far, Tuesday is shaping up better than Monday. For one thing, DH just left the house and we DIDN'T have a raging fight this morning, either in person or on the phone. The dog DID crap in the Bug's room again, but this morning I have training and I don't have to go in until later, so I have time to clean it up. I am actually ready at my normal time, so in addition to doggie leavings cleaned up, I will have some time to knit on fetching #2. I had time to do lots of laundry last night (folding it is not nearly so heinous when you're listening to Cast On) so this morning, instead of too-tight pants and the Underwear of Desperation, I have on my favorite jeans and my favorite skivvies.
See? A million reasons why Tuesday is better than Monday was, and it's only 6:30.

Monday bites

HARD.
I am having A Day. It's 9:30, and the day is already screwed beyond redemption, I think. It may end up being just an "eh" day, but for now, I'm ready to write it off and start over on Tuesday.
This weekend ended up being sunny but fairly chilly. I know, I know, it's nothing compared to the monster ice and snow storms happening in the east and midwest, but still. My brain doesn't switch that fast. It takes me a couple of days of long sleeves to realize it's too hot for long sleeves, and it takes me a couple of days of flimsy t-shirts to realize I'm freezing. Anyway, it was a nice day yesterday, and we took the Bug to the park where he played and played and played some more. There were tons of bigger kids there playing, and watching them, I wondered again how we all lived through our childhoods. They were playing on the swings, doing flips and twisting and jumping like I remember doing, and I don't know why I didn't kill myself with my acrobatics. And I DO know why my mother's heart gave out at such a young age. Holy cow.
Anyway, I didn't knit on anything I'd already started, I cast on for a new project. Yes, I jumped on another bandwagon and knit myself a Fetching. I finished it last night (just the one) and it suffers from the problem I thought it would - it gapes at the top, near my fingers. I dunna like that, so I am going to pick out the binding and add either another cable round, some tighter ribbing, some decreases, or all of the above. I would keep going and make it into a fingerless glove instead of a mitt, but I'm making it with Shine Worsted (in a lovely Bachelor Button colorway, like dark periwinkle) and I think two layers of worsted between my fingers would annoy me deeply. I might use a little crocheted chain between the fingers to hold them on, or maybe a finger-loop around the index and little fingers... There are many possibilities with these cuties, so I'll play with them tonight and see what I like best.
I'd started these mitts once already, on DPNs, and hated every second. This time I tried them magic-loop style, and I must say I like that much much better. It's also nice to know that I can knit a tube with magic loop and avoid the dreaded ladders, so top-down socks are within the realm of possibility. I did use the DPNs for the thumb, and that wasn't terrible, so I may consider gloves at some point as well. Perhaps I will buy some smaller bamboo DPNs and cut them down to be short before I do that.

Saturday, with sky

I got nada for knitting today, so I will distract you with photos.
First, the just-before-sunrise view from my desk.


A couple of minutes before sunrise, over the Rincon mountains

Next, a couple of photos of the Bug, accessories courtesy of Uncle Taco.


Wazzaaaaaap? They call me Bubba.


Redneck in thought

ETA: before you ask, I don't know where Uncle Taco got that binky, but a brief google search turned up this page. Use at your own risk, especially if you are the kind who isn't happy being the center of attention - once, while waiting to take off from a small airport, the captain came out of the cockpit, saw the binky (we were in the front row) and got on the intercom to tell the other passengers to make sure they got a look at the kid in the front row...

Not much walking yesterday - I got used to the warm spell and only had a thin cotton sweater on when the storm, wind and rain rolled in. The DH was kind enough to save me. Hmmm, I guess walking to Target and to get lunch wasn't entirely trivial.

Walked yesterday: 1 mile

Faina progress

Here is my sweet little Faina:




It doesn't look like much progress since the last progress photo, but there is some. I have three rows left on chart A, but I was too tired to finish it last night. The weekly tiredness is cumulative, so by Thursday or Friday night, I'm falling asleep at 8:30. Also, Wednesday night I worked on it some, but I wasted most of my evening trying to figure out why the stitches weren't lining up. Turns out that the loopy thing means ktbl instead of kfb. La tried to straighten me out yesterday; she told me, "and the loopy thing ALWAYS means Ktbl ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS except for when it doesn't". So helpful.

Anyway, this weekend it's supposed to be warm and sunny, so I aim to spend some good time outdoors with the Bug. I'll see how it goes with the scarf, but really, when it's close to 70 and sunny, who thinks of scarves?

Walked yesterday:
1 mile

loose ends

Well, not really. Just... de-focussed. Ever since the red scarf and the Christmas knitting was finished, I have been lackadaisical about knitting. I have been working on my lattice sock, a little pattern of my own design. I have ripped and reknit parts several times. I miscounted and ended up ripping the whole heel and the associated increases. I have thought many times about the best way to do this or that, and the delays and the ripping don't bother me at all. Faina proceeds apace, a little here, a little there. I have no deadlines, and I LOVE IT. Knitting because I like to, not because I need to finish something yesterday. I do have a Dulaan deadline in a few months, but I am not worried. It was a little unsettling at first, like suddenly being out of a cage, but now I am enjoying the feeling immensely. I love making something that appears in its own good time, that is lovely because I took the time to make it so. (OOOh, that sounds a little egotistical, doesn't it? "Yes, I really am that good.")
Tomorrow, a Faina progress picture.

Yesterday:
1 mile walked

Feeling better

Thanks for the commiseration and suggestions. Have you ever noticed that we put up with a whole dang lot we shouldn't? Few men would go to a store and buy a suit without having it tailored. Why on earth don't we have our things tailored to fit? Off the rack is great for instant gratification, but not so good unless we happen to be the designer's personal muse.
Anyway, I did go to Land's End. I'd been there before but navigated away, muttering about the cost for a bathing suit. Apparently, I want stylish, properly fit, and CHEAP. Then it occurred to me that either I'd keep said suit for a long long time, or it would outgrow me as I lose weight, and I'd have to replace it. Either way, I'd be happy so I went with it. On its way is a u-neck tankini top with a portrait style back, and a "swim mini". Never have I tried to swim in a skirt, so we'll see how it goes. (I'm still not sure why they think large women want "modesty" and only give the choice of the lowest cut leg available - don't they know that a higher cut makes a leg look longer and more slender? Sheesh! Modesty my ass.)
Given that success and the short walk home, I was feeling pretty decent last night, so I thank you for letting me rant. (Well, you couldn't stop me, as it is my blog, but thanks for the commiseration, at the very least. Anna Wintour, pay attention or we're going to force feed you twinkies and whole milk.)
Tonight, a haircut (oh YEAH), dinner with my new-mommy friend, and SnB! YAY!

Yesterday: walked 1.5 miles

It begins.

Saturday I had reasonable success at home, playing with The Bug, casting on Faina, working on my sock a little, and generally feeling good. Sunday hit me like a ton of bricks. It was cloudy, the Bug was fussy, the house was messy, and I felt like a slug. I didn't knit, I sat on the couch and watched movies with the Bug, and then played on the floor with his blocks when I started to feel guilty about how much tv he was watching.
rant
Already in a bad mood anyway, I decided to seal the deal. I looked online for shorts and bathing suits. I'll state right away that I am a Large Marge, and am supremely picky about clothes anyway. I have no delusions about my weight, my size, my rolls, whatever. The thing I DON'T understand is this: if the Health Department is so busy wringing its collective hands about how one in every four Americans is obese, WHY DON'T CLOTHING STORES REFLECT THAT? Why are there 90 bathing suit choices under size 14 on LLBean, but 14 choices OVER size 14? If 25% of the population needs those clothes, why the HELL aren't there 30 styles? Why, in Target, are there two hanging racks and one shelf unit of plus-sized clothes and a WHOLE FLOOR SECTION of "misses" clothes? Why is it so hard for both clothing manufacturers AND store buyers to understand that fat chicks need attractive clothes too? (These are the same people who groan and grimace when fat girls show skin. Gimme a break y'all, either sell us some clothes or get used to mushroom top and holey t-shirts.)
Now, I know all that dreck about eating healthy and Movement instead of Exercise, and all that schtuff. But DUDE, I have a whole person to lose, and statistics are against me. (Not to mention the fact that I'm supremely lazy, addicted to instant gratification, and have a penchant for eating, well, whatever I happen to lay eyes on.) Anyway, even if I did start right this very minute and lose steadily at a healthful rate, no slipups, no "breaks", no plateaus, it would be a YEAR before I get to goal. Am I supposed to continue wearing my maternity swimsuit and the same ratty two pairs of shorts (that don't fit well anyway) until then?
I have this same rant every spring. For some reason it's easier for me to find jeans and pants than shorts. Why? Are my knees too fat to be shown in public? And don't get me started on "active wear". If I'm fat and I need to get active, don't I need good bras and unrestrictive clothes? Yeah, now try to find some.
Also, if anyone is offended by my use of the word "fat", tough. My blog.
/rant

We now return you to your regularly scheduled, mostly reasonable knitblogger.

Begone, stash weasels!

For I have cast on Faina.


Cute little scarflet.

Despite the fact that I had to cast on three times, I am enjoying this. It's a straightforward pattern, although it IS the first time I've tried to knit from a chart. Thank goodness for almost-all-purl WS rows. (And can I just say how it messes me up that the right side rows are the even ones? Apparently my brain is full, and that concept won't fit in there will all the rest of the uselss trivia.)

I have spent the rest of the weekend dealing with this:


Why are we always out of blue food coloring?

In happy news, I can say that sealing the grout from stains was a good idea.


Green beans make me happy.

It feels like folly to be starting an alpaca scarf for myself on the same day I'm contemplating turning on the air conditioning.

not yet.

Here it is, Friday, and I have not cast on for Faina. La says I needta, but I haven't had the time.
Actually, that's a total lie. Everybody has the same 24 hours a day. I just chose to spend my last several days' free time expanding on a great childhood experience: I read the last two books of the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. ...sigh...

WHAT? I just looked at the link and realized there is YET ANOTHER Little House book. YAY! Must go get it, but I'll cast on for Faina so La doesn't send the stash weasels to my house.

Anyway, have you read these books? It doesn't help things that they knit lace and hand-stitch it to their homemade clothes. I just want to move out to a farm, bake things from scratch, grow all my food from the garden, and be thankful that Pa shot some blackbirds because it's the first fresh meat we've had in years. I could do without the knife-wielding farm wife, though I've been thinking about her a lot. (It was in Little Town on the Prairie, when Laura teaches her first school.) Laura's opinion was that she was mean and selfish. It seems to me like she was mortally depressed. Seems like that kind of life could be monumentally rewarding, or soul-crushing in the worst way.
So, I looked up online to see if I could find pictures of Laura and Almanzo, and I did! How cute are they? Here is a link to the museum about her. Married 63 years, until his death. Started out with horse and buggy, ended up with Chrysler. She only died in 1957! I am completely amazed by the idea that she was still living when my mother was born.
Okay, enough of my nostalgia. If you haven't read them, do so. If you have, read them again. I'm going to go cast on for Faina, to stave off the stash weasels.

I heart NOTHING!

I think I got tired of using "heart" as a verb about the time I heart Huckabees came out. Oy. I do love hearts in everything but jewelry, though. (A few years ago, as we were watching yet ANOTHER stupid Zales commercial with that awful piano riff and they were showing the standard diamond heart pendant, I said, "GAWD I hate heart jewelry." DH paused a minute and said, "Gee, I wish I'd known that about a week ago." However, he got me a little watch with overlapping hearts on the band, and I swear it was the only piece of heart jewelry I've seen in the world so far that I've ever really loved.)
Anyway, that was random.
Today is the start of the Fainalong! (That makes me want to say Mackerelly. Mackerelease yourself. Oh yeah. Apparently I am all about the random today.) Anyway, since I doubt my poor long suffering husband would be unlikely to consider "casting on a scarf" as romantic - even if I was naked - I will wait until tomorrow.

Blogger

Hating blogger a little less, because Cheryl of the comments and Abigail the Kitten are smarter than I.
The code AND the percentage bars both go in the same HTML widget! Thanks ladies.

On knitting news, I have nearly gotten to the heel of my lattice socks, and as I prepare to add the increases, I think I may have to rip. You see, the pattern has ONE spot that works fantabulously for adding the increases I like to put just before I start the short row heel. In this sock, I need them both for the extra stretch across my high instep, and to make up for the fact that the stockinette sole of these socks has a bigger gauge (bigger? smaller? It's fewer stitches per inch, whatever that is.) than the lattice stitch. However, the way it's falling on my foot, that spot either occurs half a repeat too short or too long, and adding the increases elsewhere in the pattern would be FUGLY. So mebbe I'll just rip it.
...sigh...

Still hating Blogger, and I'm not very smart

Maybe those two things are related.
If anyone can tell me how to get my little percent bars back, I would be grateful. Stupid new template.
And I'm not very smart because I worked my fingers to the bone to finish Tendrils and Clapotis before the Birthday Extravaganza weekend, because I was going to see Aunts C and H and could give them their late presents. I did not do things because
I LEFT THE BLASTED KNITS AT HOME.

Quickie Friday

I am feeling better today, thank goodness. DH also got the walking death, but he seems to have gotten an abbreviated version and is on the mend as well. He didn't even have to go to the doctor for the miraculous waiting room cure!
This weekend is my father's 80th birthday, so my little family is packing up to head out of town and celebrate with ol' Daddy-o. A little car knitting will be had, and maybe a little Bug-nap knitting too, but I am not holding my breath.
In the meantime, La asked for some Faina prep photos. I will be knitting my Faina from some stashed Knitpicks Andean Treasure in Embers Heather.


Mmmm, alpaca....

Ignore the weird ghosting from the label, and the color is fairly accurate.

I had originally bought this yarn to hold with Shimmer in Maple Leaf to knit myself a Clapotis. I think it would have been pretty, but I have already knit one Clapotis, and I want to move on. My motto is "Life is too short to knit the same pattern twice (unless I wanna)" and right now, I dunna wanna. Any ideas for my laceweight? I am not a great fan of variegated lace, so it should be a reasonably simple, solid pattern - I don't like meshes and prefer designs with the elements in positive space. Oh great knitbloggers, gimme your ideas!

On an unrelated note, don't you wish these were growing in your house?


Beauteous tulips

Enough already

It occurred to me, when I considered titled this post "Blurgh" that I think I have posted about that before. Is it just me, or are this year's winter viruses particularly virulent? (Ha ha, word-nerd humor.) I almost never get sick, and just since New Year's I have had two head colds and two bouts of this stomach thing that's so ugly it's getting news coverage. I'm a little tired of it, and I'd like to speak to the management about the situation. (Not in person, really - no need for me to die of the stomach flu so I can go complain to God about it - I'd just like to pass on a message...)
So, this week, no walking. The stomach thing is flattening me. I hope I have not infected anyone. I keep wandering around like Typhoid Mary, thinking it's almost over and I must be getting better, despite evidence to the contrary. I finally went to the doctor yesterday, and while trying to describe my symptoms, I realized that simply going to the doctor is the best way to make them go away. The anecdotal evidence is staggering. You struggle with your illness for days, sometimes weeks, and when you finally go see a doctor, you're miraculously cured in the waiting room, and your physician thinks maybe you're just a hypochondriac.
Anyway, no walking, no biking, I even drive the Bug to the park. (Well, I stop there on the way home from daycare.) It's been beautiful outside. Mid to high 70s, sunshine, high clouds, soft breezes, and we've been making the most of it. Yesterday I ran the Bug around the park for about an hour, and he had so much fun, he conked out on my shoulder after dinner. He could barely keep his eyes open. Mama LOVES the park.

Blogger blows

To those of you who've complained previously about the blogger upgrade, I abjectly apologize. I had not yet "upgraded" my template, nor used any of these ridiculous "widgets" and so I thought you were just whining. I understand now. I am sorry. Blogger bites harder and harder all the time.

In all their glory

I have some finished objects.

First, Clapotis, finally.


Clapotis, here she is!

November 8, 2006 to December 21, 2006
Henry's Attic Andromeda, dyed by the artist Jessie
Knitpicks Options, 5mm


Glorious color!

My photographic skills are inadequate to show the beauty of Jessie's yarn. Go buy some. I'll wait.

And here's my secret.
I finished TENDRILS! Oh yeah.


I'm shy


Wingspan

August 20, 2006 to January 30, 2007
Knitpicks Andean Twist, in Prairie, overdyed by me
Knitpicks Options, 4.5mm


Upclose and personal

Original color on the left, freshly dyed color on the right. I overdyed it with a more or less equal combination of Emerald and Spruce Jacquard acid dyes.

Since then, I have been knitting on my bearfoot sock (one at a time, the dpns were killing me) and doing a little of this:


Upclose and personal

Hot damn

Lookie what I got!


Yarny goodness

That's two skeins of MCY sock yarn (celestial and Santa Fe golddust) at the top, a skein of Sock That Rock (Ruby Slippers), two skeins of Blue Moon Sock Candy (Thunder), another skein of Blue Moon Socks That Rock (Thistle), two skeins of Regia Bamboo (1068), one skein of Bearfoot (Evergreen), and one skein of Cherry Tree Hill (African Grey). All purchased in a month-long sock yarn orgy.

Knit from my stash, indeed.

Silent Poetry Reading

I wasn't going to participate, as I'm not a huge fan of most poetry, but Wendy reminded me of why I love Ogden Nash.

Celery


Celery, raw
Develops the jaw,
But celery, stewed,
Is more quietly chewed.

Ogden Nash

I have a secret

But I'm not ready to share it yet. I hope it will be ready this weekend.
In the meantime, I have been knitting a sock with my first Bearfoot. Moose Creek colorway. Pattern my own, inasmuch as a sock with a stitch pattern slapped on it can be considered mine. I took a picture because my blogless buddy Tracy wanted to see it.


Happy feet

This picture is in no way representative of the actual color of this yarn. It's deep blues, purple, black, green, with a little tan thrown in for good measure. Extremely soft, nice to work with, stretchy and squishy. All the things good yarn should be. I am also doing this sock using the Magic Loop technique, and I must say I'm enjoying it. I like having to keep track of only two needle tips.

I've taken the extra-long way home the last two days too, and I've enjoyed it. Well, except for that first bit when I leave the office and think about how much sooner I could be home, if only I would go the short way... But the walk is lovely, I listen to music and look for landscaping ideas in yards I've never noticed before, I walk through the park, and I arrive home feeling great. I've had DH drop me off about a block from the office on the way in the morning, so it rounds out my walking for the day to just over two miles. If I think of it, one of these days I'll bring my camera and show you what my walk looks like.

Tuesday:
2.1 miles walked

Today:
2.1 miles walked

Pretty good

This morning I was late, so I had DH drop me off at work. I felt guilty about not walking, so I took the extra-long way home. After a short while, I wanted to kick myself for doing it - I was tired. But half way home I bumped into a professor I knew briefly in college, who walks the neighborhood around my house, and I had a lovely chat while I walked most of the rest of the way. Walking alone is nice, but chatting with an interesting person is pretty awesome too.
Thanks for all the commiseration on the yarn. I spent a while working on one skein and I think I made good progress. I have the other skeins hanging to dry, in the hope that they'll be easier to untangle later.

Today:
1.86 miles walked

And now for something completely different...

I bring you Silk Dyeing!
I had some silk I bought from eBay - it was a sweater someone had thrifted and unravelled.

Yarny goodness

Some of the yarn had rough or weak spots, but I figured there would be enough good stuff to make a Shetland Triangle. I skeined up my yarn, mixed my dye, threw it in the pot


Steamy

let it cool, gave Bug a haircut


Buzzzzzzzzzzz

and chucked it in the washer to rinse out the excess dye. I think it was La (or mebbe Jen) who said that the rinse cycle was a bad idea, so I heeded that warning and selected the soak cycle. Turns out (you might wanna sit down for this)


Ouch

My washer agitates on the soak cycle.
That is six and a half skeins of silk. I managed to separate the skeins from each other, but haven't even thought about trying to detangle that mess. Turns out I also tied the skeins too loosely. Damn.

First Fo of the Year!

Hooray, a red scarf!


Scarf and beach towels, a study

Pattern: Irish Hiking Scarf
Yarn: Elann Peruvian Pure Alpaca, in Oxblood
Needles: Knitpicks Options, 5.0mm (US8)

Began December 30, 2006
Finished and blocked January 23,2007

What a fun scarf, and what soft yarn! I have heard that it's sheddy, but I enjoyed working with it, and with three dogs, who notices a little alpaca floating around? After this knit, I can cable anything without a cable needle!

Wednesday:
.86 miles walked

Today:
2.1 miles walked

Getting There

I have been making progress on my WIPs. I didn't officially join any stash-a-longs or UFO projects, but it has been my intention both to knit from my stash and to finish some UFO/WIPs. I knit much too slowly to finish all the projects out there that I'd like to make for myself. As a result, I tend to stash yarn and projects for ME. My goal in 2007 was to knit more for me. I still want to do charity projects, but last year I tried to do ambitious projects for others, and never did finish one thing for myself. (Well, not entirely true - I did finish three pairs of socks.) This year, I want to continue my charity knitting and do a little stash enhancement toward that end, but I'd really like to make some of the beautiful things I've had in mind, with the yarns I've bought for myself.
Progress continues on Tendrils, but since that's all I ever say, I'm not going to speak of it again until it's complete, washed, dyed, dry and ready for its closeup, Mr. DeMille. I finished the Irish Hiking Scarf last night and put it to soak in some Kookaburra wash. Tonight I'll have to take it out and lay it flat to dry, but I didn't have a place to do that last night. In the meantime, I got out my sad, neglected bearfoot socks to work on. They are all for me, so I can't wait to finish them.
Other projects slated this year:

Finish Sonnet - she only needs two sleeves

Faina scarf, in stashed Knitpicks Andean Treasure

Shetland Triangle, in stashed recycled 100% silk from eBay - what color?

Bombshell, in stashed Knitpicks Shine

I've been stash enhancing a little lately, too - it will be a little while before my latest purchase arrives, so I'll wait until they're all collected in one place to show off my latest pr0n.
I will be doing the sock swap again, and I have some projects on the go for Dulaan, but I'm not going to put it all aside and neglect ME anymore!

Oh yeah, and I forgot to add my paltry weekend walking to my total - it was cold and yucky, so we only went to the park. I did manage to get out today and walk to work.

Sunday:
Walked, 0.6 miles

WTF Wednesday, now on Sunday!

So, I have some photos to share with you, of my evening.


WTF?


Poor sad grass?


Ice plants?


Sad beach towels.

More photos here.


Y'all, mild winters are our reward for living through our heinous summers! Damn.

Thursday:
1.7 miles walked

Blurgh.

I have been struck most cruelly by that stomach thing that's been going around. Monday I walked to work like the good little doobie I have been forced to become, and at lunchtime I began to feel a little nauseated. (A bit of pedantry: if you say, "I feel nauseous," it means that you make OTHER people sick.) Anyway, it got worse and worse until I didn't think I could stand it, so I went home. A walk of nearly a mile when one has digestive issues? Not fun, but I made it.
Since then, not much. I managed to walk to work this morning, but it was rough. I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew, Runagogo-speaking. Since I signed up, I have not had a single week when I was able to walk or bike to work all five days. It's the weather. I blame the crazy-ass weather. I mean really - 70s in the northeast and icy sidewalks in the desert? Frozen oranges in California? No wonder we're all discombobulated.
I have been chatting with Jen about her parlor trick socks. She's doing one inside the other, on DPNs. I have had Bearfoot socks on the go in that way for ages, and after talking to Jen about them I am anxious to get back to them and finish them up! Soon, soon my lovely little bearfeets, I will get back to you, once I have warmed the neck of one college-age orphan and finished the Wrap That Shall Not Be Named Again.
They WILL be completed in time for me to start the Faina scarf with La!

Monday:
Walked 2 miles

Family Outings

Today started out cloudy and chilly, so I bundled up the Bug and headed to Sabino Canyon for a hike. You know, my lungs don't so much like the uphills, and my knees don't so much like the downhills. It'd be great if they could flatten out that mountainous trail, you know?
Anyway, I did four miles, plus a scootch. I discovered that I am a big giant weenie, too - I kept thinking, "Man, the 2 mile rock must have been washed away, I bet I've gone almost three miles. I should turn around." Right as I thought I would, the 2 mile rock came into view.


Are you sure that doesn't say 20?

It was a lovely day, and I was only mildly depressed by all the old people passing me right and left, while I hauled my giant self, huffing and puffing, up the trail. I was a little discouraged by the thousand-year-old woman with a bright red beehive, jogging uphill in a miniskirt. Oy.

So, here are a few pictures for your enjoyment.


Look, naturally occurring water in southern Arizona!


Sweet little white-tailed deer.


Funky tree in the river.

To see the rest, click here.

For the rest of the day, Bug just wants to do this:

Don't bother me, Mama, but hand me the remote, will ya?

Walked today:
4 miles (is that ALL?)

Oh LAWDY how I love Fridays

Cuz that's when the weekend starts. Oh yeah.
And, as the mother of a toddler and the wife of a man who works almost every weekend, I have a big weekend of sitting around planned. Since my knitting looks the same, and I have nothing else interesting to report, I will show you what a bad mommy I am when I feed my kid.

Last night, the Bug had ice cream for dinner.


I'm saving that blob on my chest for later.


Hey Mama, I wasn't done licking that bowl.

Tonight, as I'm trying to get him ready for bed, he's having his very own latte in his sippy. (Because Daddy isn't here to give him sips of black coffee.)


I'll make it big in Seattle or Portland.


Ayup.

(For those dialing CPS right now, know this: He's getting his molars and the ice cream numbed his little mouth quite nicely, and the latte he's drinking has less caffeine than soda and less sugar than juice. And a whole lotta skim milk. So there.)

Oh yeah, I do have fibery news! Y'all NEED to see these yarns at Mystical Creations. That link is her ebay listing. You can search her store, and she also has a blog and her own domain. (I think! I can't find the links now.) LOOK at those colors. They leave me speechless, and that is a rare thing indeed.

Biking today:
3.1 miles

even less today

Yesterday was DH's birthday, and I woke up late, so I drove (a mile, how sad am I?) to work and got no exercise at all. Today, I woke up even later, and again drove to work. Again, no exercise. I suck.
I AM nearing the end of the second ball of the IHS. At least SOMETHING is making progress around here.

Biking/walking
A BIG FAT ZERO.

Not much today

I knitted one whole repeat yesterday on IHS. I skipped SnB to go sit with my friend in labor, while her husband ran home to car for the cats and collect some items they wanted. YAY FOR BABIES!

Yesterday:
Biked 3.1 miles

ETA: La pointed out that it should probably be "care for the cats". It should, but "carring for cats" sounds like some weird sport on either ESPN2 or the Outdoor Channel, and it kinda makes me laugh, so I'm leaving it.

I blew it off

You totally knew I would.
Last night after Bug went to bed, I had no desire to play with that honking huge Tendrils, so I pulled out the IHS. That thing goes so fast, it's very gratifying. I think I did 5 repeats. About 6 inches or so! I love things that show progress after one sitting! I'll take IHS to SnB tonight too. Last week I tried to work on Tendrils there, and ended up really hosing the beads. (On one cable, I missed a bead in one row and put two in, two rows up. And I only knitted the three rows all night.)
Anyway, I stayed up too late again and I woke up late. Instead of being a whole hour late for work, I hopped on my bike. It was a brisk ride, and I got here huffing and puffing, but I'll live. I do enjoy riding. I just end up feeling a bit knotted up afterwards.
Oh yeah, and one more thing: I missed my own anniversary! TWO YEARS SMOKE-FREE. Awesome. (Even now, I wish I'd had my first cigarette of the morning before I took that pregnancy test!) I plan to start up again when I'm 70 or 75 and smoke a couple of packs a day, but until then I won't smell like an ashtray. YAY FOR ME!

Yesterday:
2.6 miles walked

Munday

It's work time again. ::sigh::
On one hand, I feel wiped out and tired because it's Monday, and on the other hand, I feel good and ready to go get started on a normal week for a change. I was late to work this morning, but I have nothing to do this afternoon, so I just accepted being late and walked the long way to work. I love walking under those oak trees while there's just a little bit of light in the east. Since we have nothing planned tonight, I will sit and knit on the last 34 rows on Tendrils before I start the edging.
Yup, it's true, I have about five inches left. Saturday I had 12. I am a speedy brilliant lazy knitter. I have decided that my brain cannot bear to go to 65 inches, and I will stop at 60. The overall stole will be about 63 inches long. In my estimation, that is more than long enough. Once I've finished, I will use up every blessed scrap of that yarn in charity hats, so I never ever have to see it again. (Well, every scrap except a little I save and dye with the thing itself, in case of tragic accidents.)
Bug was a little under the weather, digestively speaking, so instead of a long outing, we went to the park yesterday. When did my little boy learn how to ride the slide all by himself with no help from Mama? Sheesh! I really need to get out more. They must have taught him on the playground at daycare. He climbed the steps of the jungle gym like a pro, flipped around feet first and was down the slide no problem. (I tried to stop him that first time, but while he was dangling by the strap of his overalls, it occurred to me that he seemed to know what he was doing.) He even hopped off all by himself and ran around to do it again. Who is this big kid and where did my baby go?
Anyway, short walk and no biking this weekend puts me a little behind, but I am not worried.

Walked this weekend:
0.56 miles

Lazy Saturday Afternoon

My favorite kind.
We took a quick trip to Phoenix last night and came home this morning. I knitted a little more than one row on Tendrils and gave it up. It's too hard to knit while stuffed in DH's old truck, betweeen the door and the giant car seat. (I never knew how big those things really are.)
Anyway, I decided I'd better take some photos or you'd think I was making it all up. First, Tendrils:



An artsy shot:



From a distance, it looks like a mottled earthy green to me, but up close you can see the problem - it's so mottled you can scarcely make out the individual stitches, and the beads are completely buried. This is why I will overdye this puppy when I've finished it.

The Irish Hiking Scarf for the Red Scarf Project:



Another artsy shot:



The first picture is close to the true color.

Oh yes, and one more thing. I never heard from Hypatia or Patty, so Bug picked two new names. Elizabeth D. and Heide! Hooray!

Friday at last

Yesterday I measured Tendrils. 53 inches, only 12 to go before the edging bit. Roughly six repeats. Tonight we drive to Phoenix, and tomorrow we return, so that's about four hours of car knitting for me. Can I do it? Do I even want to? The Irish Hiking Scarf is so soft and fluttery - I want to work on that instead. I joined the second of four balls this morning, and would like to feel that light, airy yarn in my fingers, instead of the heavy, beaded albatross of a wrap that is Tendrils. (I'd said to a friend that I don't understand why it's so heavy, because it's only 250 grams of beads. She pointed out that 250 grams is roughly half a pound. Oh.) But I'm so close, I will work on Tendrils tonight, and then maybe tomorrow I will have IHS in the car.
Today I had to drive to work because I had to run out for my yearly bloodwork. (If I'm trying to be healthy and exercise, I might as well have my yearly exams, too. ...sigh... I suppose I should make an appointment with the dentist...) Anyway, I feel a little sluggish already. It may be that it's Friday morning at the end of a tough week, or that the clouds are rolling in and it's dark, but I think it's more that my body didn't get my wake-up walk. I kinda miss it already. It's been a few months since I started walking to work. I haven't seen any change in my clothes (I'm pretty sure the Christmas cookie intake far exceeded any calories burned walking) but BOY, I miss being outside!

Yesterday:
2.4 miles walked

Discoveries

Two days ago, I discovered that I can knit and walk at the same time, without falling down (much).
Yesterday, I discovered that, if I think a commitment like 200 miles is no big deal and I'll do it anyway, I tend to wake up late and get a ride to work, so my 200 mile goal isn't a sure thing. Also, I discovered that, while I can knit and walk, my posture is so bad that my back is aching after just a few minutes.
Last night I discovered that I may have miscounted the number of balls I'd already knit into Tendrils, and I may not have needed the $3.29-turned-$11-because-of-shipping balls of yarn I ordered in a panic last week.
This morning I discovered that no matter how comfy my high-heeled granny boots are to wear at the office, they aren't the greatest for walking that 1.2 miles to work. I took the short cut (.86 miles), and DH was nice enough to bring me my walking shoes so I don't cry on the way home. (In my defense, they're chunky heels. It's not like I thought I'd go for a long walk in stilettos or anything.)

Resolved

Rachael is doing this thing.



100 miles by April 1. Walk, bike, swim, run, etc. At first, that sounds obscenely difficult. Well, it does to my couch potato self, but it sounds like a standard Saturday morning to my triathlete brother.



Anyway, once I started thinking about it, it's not that hard. I walk or bike to work every day, with the exception of the days when I have to carry something big or heavy. The shortest walking route is .85 miles. It's not a big deal to go slightly out of my way, for nicer scenery, which puts me at 1.2. That means that, at the end of an average week, I log between eight and 12 miles. Two and a half months of changing nothing, and I've walked 100 miles. I'm challenging myself a little. My bike route (according to that Google map thing) is about 3.1 miles. If I alternate, I can walk 100 miles AND bike 100 miles before April 1. This will require a little extra effort, because I'll have to include some weekend "workouts": trips to the park or hiking in Sabino Canyon with Bug, a walk to the zoo, even walking to a restaurant for dinner. All in line with my goals to lose a dress size and take Bug on outings. So, that's my plan. 100 miles walked and 100 miles biked before April 1.
Once I figure out where everyone gets those neat little percentage bars for the sidebar, I'll set up my progress indicators.

Running out of time!

Hypatia and Patty, please send me your contact info so I can send you some yarn! If I don't hear from you by Thursday, I'll pick two more names on Friday.

A full accounting

I don't like to do it, but I'm gonna. These are my WIPs.

Tendrils. 60% done, at least

Irish Hiking Scarf.

Sonnet. Body done, only needs sleeves

Haiku. Knitting done, needs sleeves sewn to body

Bearfoot socks. Toes started

Fetchings in Shine.

HPT (heinous purple thing). Intended to be a gift for MIL, but I can't stand it. Frog pond.

Heirloom baby blanket. I like this thing, but Fluffy ate one of my skeins of yarn. Dunno if I'll ever finish it.

FOs this year:

Sockpal socks

Olympic socks

Green socks

Squares for Warming Grace

One square for Comforting Jenn

Clapotis

Frill

Next knitting, after Tendrils and Irish Hiking Scarf, is Faina's Scarf, in a knitalong with La and anyone else who loves that pattern like I do!