Argghh!

Tomorrow I will be monitoring the PSSA tests. I always have a sock in the purse for those moments when I am watching but not actually teaching. These socks need to be simple enough that I can keep an eye on the kinder but complicated enough to keep me sane (this is not as complicated as those who know me might think,then again should I use the words same and me in the same sentence?). I finished the Cable Rib Socks from Interweave's Favorite Socks yesterday and started to look for an interesting yarn for a plain sock. Easy to knit, fun to look at. Two skeins of Blue Moon in interesting colors, two different colors. No pair of socks there. Maizy from Amy. I want to knit the Flame Wave socks (same book) from that yarn and it takes too much attention. The rest of my sock yarn collection is either wonderful colors in hand wash yarn (so not future socks) or plain color superwash (begs for lots of complicated stitches). What's a knitter to do? Order more yarn of course (and get the emergency socks out of the car until the yarn arrives).
Oh! The emergency socks are kept in the drawer under the front seat for those times when I accidentally leave home without knitting. Just a basic sock in inexpensive yarn.

Random Thursday in October

The Husband and I went shopping yesterday at an outlet and I found a sweet little jacket on the 70% off rack. When I got to the check out the sales lady said, "Oh, that should have been on the 30% off rack." Now, it was a nice jacket, but I really don't need another and $50 was a little more than I wanted to spend on something not yarn, so I said thanks, but no thanks and the lady insisted (she called me back to the register twice!) on giving me the 70% off price of $17. Now for the big question, why do I feel guilty (yes, of course I bought it. I was afraid the sales lady would hurt herself when she tackled me)?

Did you see it? Last night on Pushing Daisies, Chi McBride was knitting. Not only knitting but he used one of his knitting needles to save the day! I can't wait to see if this becomes a regular part of the series (knitted gun cozies?!?)
I did receive the harmony needles but have been working on the strikke-along vest (so far I've ripped back the back after 8 inches and the left front after 6 inches. Sigh!) so no news to report. I can't even show you a picture because I left the camera's USB at home.

Tomorrow is the long schlep home with a stop to pick up Younger Son at college (it's his fall break weekend). He will be doing the last leg of the driving so Mom can knit (so long as I don't have to use my mental powers to keep us on the road).

In looking for the post where I told about my amazing mental powers while teaching Younger Son to drive (couldn't find that) I came across a few unfinished ends. So some weaving in...

This is the front of the plantation, Oatlands. It belonged to more or less the same family from before the "War of Northern Aggression" (as it is known in the south, sorry, the South!) until sometime after WWII. Lots of interesting stuff to look at and even though it was 102 degrees the day we were there it was only about 85 degrees inside with no air conditioning! We were planning to go back and wander around the gardens this week but shopping and rain intervened. This is the picture I loaded onto the laptop.

I was complaining a few posts back about how hard it was to do fine embroidery and how I am too young to have to start giving up the things I like to do because of age (says the Dr., "Well, you are getting on. You have to expect that you will lose some ......" Fill in the blank as you choose, strength, skill, sight, BTW I am in my early 50s. When did that mark the beginning of the end?). Turns out that if you are really near-sighted that as you age your eye sight will actually improve! I needed new glasses. Things are better now. Not perfect, but a lot better! The new lenses out there are a vast improvement over the last set. Lighter and more powerful.

Next week: Rhinebeck.

HBS

Just a quick post before I am off to attend the training for Saturday's job. I will be proctoring an advanced degree test and in the instructions was the following, "Proctors must not read newspapers, books, knit or write letters during the exam." I think the muggles are on to us (or a knitter was invovled in the instruction writing......Nah!)

Ta Dah! Elder Son is modeling it. Specs: A McCall's pattern from 1981. Lion Brand Wool-Ease yarn (now that KnitPicks has a machine washable sweater weight yarn I will only knit accesories from WoolEase. I don't mind it, but the darker colors have a tendency to split). The buttons are a grey plastic and they really picked up the flash. I had thought about adding "afterthought" pockets to the front (where else would I put them?) but there are just too many cables and too much honeycomb stitch to risk it.

I had to re-knit the front and one of the sleeves, making this one of the longer projects (shhhhh! I know there's an eight-, crap, ten-year-old unfinished afghan in my closet) I have taken on in recent years. I've mostly been working on scarves and socks.

To put the lie to that last statement, here is a picture of the Purple Passover Pullover (yes, I know Passover has come and gone but I love the alliteration). It's been a really fun knit. I love the top-down-ness that let me try it on as I go. Ususally when I knit a sweater for me I get gauge, knit the size it says I measure and then the darn thing is too big. This time I got gauge, knit one size smaller than the pattern said I should and it fits!! Now I have to figure out how to knit the sleeves. They are about 100 stitches around and the circular needle that will hold the stitches is too short to comfortably knit with, if I use dpns (of course, I don't have that size so I'd have to go shopping......) I get a float between the needles. This never happens in stocking stitch or ribbing, only in garter stitch. Guess which stitch the sleeves are in? I may try two circular needles. I'll let you know how that works out. We have had some pretty cold weather this spring in the east. Do you think the warmth is just waiting for me to bind off the last sleeve and be eager to wear it?

On the entertainment front: The Husband has taken a liking to the new Jeff Goldblum show on NBC (Raines) and will actually sit down next to me and look at the tube. This is the first show in 27 years that he had made time for in his schedule. As he is now retired his schedule is get up, eat breakfast, read the paper, read yesterday's New York Times, do the crossword, visit the local outlet shops to see if there is anything new, take a nap, eat lunch, exercise, go to the grocery store just in case something new came in, take a nap, make dinner, read a book, go to bed. Yeah, life's tough.

Driving to work, I like to listen to spoken word CDs. They seem to keep me more awake than music. Yesterday, Elder Son loaned me his copy of Christopher Titus:The 5th Annual End of the World Tour. If you can get past the rough language (that's a whole 'nother post), this is one of the funniest men around. He made me laugh until I cried. At least in part because he tells about his Dad's funeral. Mr. Titus's dad dies shortly before 9-11 and my Dad dies 6 days after. Titus tells about his dad and what he wanted and seriously, you will laugh until it hurts, then he cursed his father for leaving him with this world to clean up all alone and I cried for blocks (remember? driving?) Every time Titus brings you to tears because this "is a f7#$^12 up world" he can bring you to hysterical laughter, because laughing gives you the strength to go on.

Hmmm. This was supposed to be a short post and I'd better go get breakfast. The Husband wants to go check out the new grocery store that opened a few blocks away......