I suck!

Has it really been nearly two months? I'm really really bad at this blogging thing.

Life has been extraordinarily busy. In roughly chronological order: a cousin announced her second pregnancy when she and her half sister came to visit with a set of adorable and ohsoTINY twin girls and a very grown-up two year old, took a trip to Okeechobee to visit Grandparents, there was a wedding shower and subsequent cruise ship wedding for some friends (we did not get to go on the cruise but the ship was magnificent and the wedding was lovely . . . speedy but lovely), Mathboy's sister announced her first pregnancy(she's due around April 30th), Mathboy had his surgery and was in Tampa General Hospital for four days and then his dad stayed with us for five days to help care for him during the early stages of recovery (he's doing really well by the way. Three week check-up is on the 20th and we're confident that everything will be perfect), and we quietly celebrated our third anniversary on the seventh of October. Throughout all of the busy travelling around and visiting though, there has been knitting.

I finished the mimosa for my co-worker.

(Euroflax linen in Champagne with jet, amber, and coffee coloured silver lined glass beads)

Made a stocking hat for Miss Em from a pattern in Itty Bitty Hats. Note the matching pom pom . . . and yes, it will fit her little noggin . . . it's just crazy stretchy.

(Knit Picks Swish Bulky in Flamingo, Creme Brulee, Sea Foam, Lilac, and Honey Dew)

Started, and frogged, a pair of Six-Pack socks designed by Wendy Johnson and available here.

I think the yarn is lovely (Fibra Natura "Yummy" in some numbered and hard to remember colourway) but it completely and totally obscured Wendy's beautiful cables and eyelets.

Started and frogged ad nauseum before near completion (waiting for a report on gender before choosing between two different cuffs) a pair of baby Coriolis socks from New Pathways for Sock Knitters.

see how the one on the left looks all cute and neat and the one on the right kind of resembles a hot mess? That's what happens when you don't actually read the pattern for the opposite foot.

Top: "boy sock" with narrow applied i-cord cuff. Bottom: "girl sock" with flouncy applied i-cord cuff.

And last but not least I tackled a EZ's surprise jacket in the original baby size.

Jacket and socks are all made with Lion Brand Microspun in black and the the poorly named "Lilac".

Next up? Adult Coriolis socks in the yarn I used for the failed six-pack socks. There's also a stole that I want to make for myself but let's be honest here . . . we all know that I'm going to stumble across ninety-dozen projects that I just have to make for other people (like the four bsj's that I want to make for the twins, their older cousin and her little sibling). *sigh* I know that I am capable of astounding selfishness but you'd never guess it from my knitting.

Catching Up

Ok, first and foremost . . . TA DA!!!! The new home of the stash.





They're cotton closet organizers from Walmart and I used two of the shoe sized ones and one sweater doohickey. Mathboy hung them in an unused corner of our bedroom and I'm quite pleased. It's not completely stocked yet because I was photographing and making notes as I went and it took longer than I anticipated. Of course as with everything else around here I received some unsolicited assistance . . .



That's Noko's tail. Isn't he helpful?


There has been more mail-ey goodness over the last few weeks; Some more birthday stuff . . . Watermelon Bombe roving from The Loopy Ewe and these adorable ball o' yarn earrings from knit picks.

Also from KP was a copy of Elizabeth Zimmermans "Opinionated Knitter" and the five skeins of yarn I needed for the Stripey Stocking Cap from Itty Bitty Hats. I went with all five of the pastel shades from the Swish Bulky line and I'm really pleased with the way it's coming out.

Now, about Mathboy. Sometimes I guess I paint him as a bit of an ogre and that's just not accurate. First of all he hasn't got green trumpet shaped ears he has an incredible amount of patience. Not with everything mind you, just ask anyone who's watched him play a video game, but he puts up with my flakiness and frequent bitchiness with an impressive amount of forbearance. He's never ever called me any names (not even a flaky bitch) or put me down in any way and disagrees with me when I say disparaging things about myself.

Anyways when it comes to finances he's the boss. He knows exactly how much money is in the bank at any given time and what the credit card balance is and I'm lucky if I still have the five bucks that I think I have in my wallet and sometimes "find" my credit card in my wallet and think "ooooh yeah! I have a different credit card now" (I've had it for two years!). The truth is that I need a financial keeper. It's not a gender thing it's just who I am. I am a world class, gold medal spendthrift and always have been. Worse I tend not to think about things before I purchase them and I often end up with a lot of junk. If I ask first it means I think about it "can I justify this purchase? Where will it live? Will I use it frequently?" and if we can't afford it it's a no or, more often "Can it wait?". The upshot of that is that I ask before I make a purchase greater than $10 and we continue to have enough money for frivolities like the mortgage, car payments, and dog food. It doesn't work for everyone and that's fine . . . as long as it works for us. < / end rant >

Quotes from Kids

Started the new school year today and overheard this from the back of my highschool bus: "don't mess with her man, she's knitting."

Hurricane day tomorrow and maybe (if we have power) I'll finally get around to discussing my oh-so-fascinating shoes and the reason why Mathboy's stance on my yarn budget is ok. Really. Oh, new stash accomodations coming too.

Conversations with a Mathboy

Edited due to my embarrassing inability to correctly spell "Qiviut"

Me: What is your favourite thing about my knitting?
Mathboy: [blank look] Keeps you from strangling me? 'Cause your hands are busy.

Me: What is your least favourite thing about my knitting?
Mathboy: I have to listen to you talk about it all the time.

Me: What is something I have knitted that you recall as good?
Mathboy: Uhhhhhh, the pinwheel sweater

Me: Do you think knitters have an expensive hobby?
Mathboy: It can be. Depending on how much their husbands let them spend.

Me: Do you have any hobbies?
Mathboy: Video games, carpentry, reading.

Me: Do you have a stash of any kind?
Mathboy: Video games, tools, DVDs . . . if it's out in plain sight does it count as stash? (Looks at the shelves with 400+ DVDs lining the living room wall)

Me: Have I ever embarrassed you, knitting in public?
Mathboy: Embarrass isn't the right word.

Me: Do you know my favourite kind of yarn?
Mathboy: Qiviut . . . don't ask me to spell it, I just know you want to put it against your boobies. (He's referring to the time I found a pattern for a hat for a teddy bear that called for Qiviut. I was horrified and could come up with dozens of better ideas including just sticking the skein in my bra and wearing it like a soft and fuzzy little pet)

Me: Can you name another blog?
Mathboy: Uhhh, Knitting with Eileen, Yarn Harlot.

Me: Do you mind my wanting to stop at knit shops wherever we go?
Mathboy: Sometimes.

Me: Do you understand the importance of a swatch?
Mathboy: No. Seems like a waste of time. You should just do it and get it over with.

Me: Do you read my blog?
Mathboy: Yes.

Me: Have you ever left a comment?
Mathboy: No.

Me: Do you think the house would be cleaner if I didn't knit?
Mathboy: No.

Me: Anything you'd like to add?
Mathboy: [Shakes head no]

Birthday Loot and How Guitar Hero Gave Me Chapped Lips

The first of the three (and a half) orders made with my birthday money is in. My parents and sister gave me a Loopy Ewe gift certificate and on Friday night (yes the instant I saw the gift certificate . . . why do you ask?) I placed an order with Sheri for some pretty pretty roving.This is "She Sells Sea Shells" from Enchanted Knoll Farm available both at Loopy Ewe (yarn here, roving here) and Etsy
This one's "Tanzanite" from The Dyeing Arts (roving only). Both are merino superwash and weigh 4 0z.

My shipment was packed in a clear vinyl Loopy Ewe tote bag with a little note welcoming me to the Loopy Groupies.

and as I looked admiringly at it, I realized that there was more in it than there ought to be.

See that red tissue paper? Evidently the tote was not the end of my Groupie goodies. I pulled everything out and found all of this:

Two skeins of Regia 6 ply in "1133", a crampon style key chain, and five starlight mints (Loopy Kisses . . . . I hear they're a little more chocolate oriented in the cooler weather).

After I took everything out and played with it a little bit and then put it away I noticed that Tachi was behaving more oddly than usual. It turned out that a little friend had come in with my package and she'd caught him under one of our end tables. It was a very small green anole and she left him alone when I told her to. I caught him, grabbed the camera and then we went outside for a photo session (blurry hand photo included for scale). I last saw him on one of the Dwarf Ixora in the front garden.

Mathboy and I spent Saturday celebrating the July birthdays. There are three of us within a week of each other (well actually four, Mathboy's cousin has a two year old who was born on Mother of Mathboy's birthday but she lives a few hours away so her celebration was another time) so we all get together and have one happening for all of us. Bro in law brought Guitar Hero for Wii with him and we all had a go. I found out that I'm guitar hero challenged and in spite of being right handed am forced to play lefty. If you look at the photo of my hand above, you might be able to see a scar in the center of my hand. I was born with a hole about the size of a dime in my palm and it caused some permanent nerve damage in my left middle finger. Anyways, Mathboy liked GH so much that we picked up our own copy the next day and we've been playing it together a little each day. This is where the chapped lips come in. Turns out that when I'm concentrating really hard I pull my lower lip up over my upper lip and if I do it often enough . . . well, pass the Carmex please!

Birthdays and Monkeys

Ok, well, no monkeys really. On Wednesday I went to Lowry Park Zoo on a field trip and while I did see lots of monkeys I was more interested in seeing and saying hello to some of the newer residents. I was disappointed by the absence of the cheetah but there was a lovely F150 in his or her enclosure. I chose not to photograph that because I see more than enough pickups on a day to day basis. Something that did catch my attention was this:

The vignette is supposed to give you an idea of a long abandoned safari camp somewhere on the "Dark Continent". I was highly amused at the frosty cool bottle of Zephyrhills water perched on top of the rusty old camp stove and started to take a picture . . . not even noticing the Zoo guys in the background. They asked if they could help me with anything and I laughingly told them I thought their water was funny and why. They chose to add to the humour by displaying the shiny new DeWalt drill they were using on the "campsite".

After I'd toured the African section I stopped on the way out to see the (relatively) new African Penguin exhibit where this guy showed a deep interest in my shoes. I suspect that, like everyone else, he was trying to figure out how they stay on my feet. (more on that another time)

Now, I didn't take any pictures of monkeys but I did giggle a little about the Orangutans' plan for what to do when it's far too hot out to move. Evidently I've been underestimating the cooling power of straw and cotton sheets:

The Tufted Deer worried me a little bit. What herbivore needs fangs like that?

Near the tufted deer there was a Nicobar Pigeon being victimized by a much smaller Bleeding Heart Dove which amused me because somehow the pigeon reminded me of the Predator from the AVP movies.

I think the Bearded Pigs are new too or at least I'd never noticed them before but they certainly are well named:

Last but not least was this beautiful fellow . . . sorry I don't have any obstruction free photos. I could have waited for the child to move but more crowded in and I wanted to fondle!

I asked his minder what happens to his fleece upon shearing and she told me a sad tale full of birds nests and chew toys for tigers. Evidently there is a volunteer at the zoo who spins but she was given the fleece from some of the llamas after they were shorn last and never got around to spinning it so they've been using subsequent fibre elsewhere. *sigh*

I wandered back to my bus after I was done with the zoo (well, done with the heat really) and sat in the shade with my fan going and knit upon the never-ending-beige-beast-of-doom.

No pictures of it yet . . . one of these days!

Today Mathboy is taking me to Cypress Gardens for my birthday. This is the first time in our married life that we get to do something fun for it! Two years ago he had to be in Texas for the week and last year we had to scrub down the Big Yellow Beast for annual inspection (we smartened up this year and paid a coworker to do it. Hooray for free enterprise!)

What I Did on my Summer Vacation

Well heck. I was all set to show pictures of the garden (such as it is) and the National Zoo in D.C. and some of the yarn Mathboy bought for me and the Mimosa in progress and I've just realized that all photos are in Mathboy's laptop which is currently at work with him.

....To be continued

Happy Independence Day!

Fyi my other choice was this . . . funny yes, appropriate? Probably not.

Happy Canada Day!

See You Next Week!

WWKIPD

Saturday was World Wide Knit In Public Day and the nearest one to home was at Citrus Park mall. When I arrived it was nice to see a mix of both old and new faces. The organizers had a little raffle and among other prizes there was a skein of Noro sock yarn that I would have loved to get a better look at. I hope Susan brings it to the UnMeetUp on Wednesday!

A little guide to navigating the faces at our knit out:

Thanh, Sharon (better known as Madame DeFarge), Kathy, Kim, Susan, TobeyL, Linda (thanks for those two names Kathleen), Sandy, Kelly, Lori, Me, and Kathleen.

Kathy was crocheting a mystery shawl with some Paton's Lacette that was just so pretty I'm feeling inspired to use it to make this for my mum for Christmas. In addition to the creative stimulation floating around there was, of course, fibre. Kathleen brought me a bag of black Shetland (I think) roving to play with. Surprisingly enough I even tried! Today I took the wheel down from its perch between the television and fish tank (fish tank is currently empty and dry) and took a legitimate crack at making yarn. No pictures because there is no yarn but I did manage to conclude that my drive band was a little messed up. A length or two of tobacco string and some Ravelry surfing later I had my double driven wheel spinning in the right directions but it's still not quite right. We'll mess with it tomorrow and hopefully get it going nicely.

Mememememe!

1. What is your first name? Robyn


2. What is your favorite food? Today? Chicken with Broccoli and steamed rice (searched chicken broccoli rice)


3. What high school did you go to? T.L. Kennedy (an actual photo of the school. I was quite surprised)


4. What is your favorite colours? purple and green


5. Who is your celebrity crush? Heath Ledger (loved Knight's Tale . . . in spite of Shannen Sossamyn)


6. Favorite drink? Chocolate Martini


7. Dream vacation? Right now? Cottage with Mathboy and the dogs.


8. Favorite dessert? Ice Cream . . . for the moment


9. What did you want to be when you grew up? Veterinarian


10. What do you love most in life? Mathboy


11. One word to describe you: Quirky


12. Your flickr name: Cornsss

Want to play too?

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.

b. Using only the first page, pick an image. (I misread this and simply chose the first image that came up . . . Mathboy, your pretty eyes were still on the second page of that search)

c. Copy and paste each of the URL's for the images into Big Huge Lab's mosaic maker.

d. Leave me a comment so I can come see what you came up with.

Credits:

1. Robyn Weeping Willow, 2. Chicken Broccoli Casserole, 3. Cooksville, 4. purple and green, 5. Jake Gyllenhaal's tribute to Heath Ledger, 6. dark chocolate martini, 7. to my friends in the south, 8. Flickr meltdown, 9. Amelia Update: Desperate Times, 10. DSC00643, 11. Eye Candy, 12. Old Blanket

Last but not least . . . a photo that much better represents my beloved:

Spinning my Wheels

Still not spinning my wheel though. My latest excuse alternates between "gee, I should really have another bobbin or two so I won't have to worry about stopping once I fill this bobbin" (note the optimism that I seem to be feeling about reeling off a whole bobbin when I've barely ever touched a wheel or drop spindle) and "gee, I shouldn't really start anything on the wheel before I've properly refinished it". We'll see what happens this week when I'm all by myself with it for eight hours a day.

The Champagne Mimosa is . . . well I'm still only on the fifth row. I've made it to the eighth row a few times but I keep needing to rip it back a row or four. It's all good though. She'll be beautiful when we're done with each other. I think.

The front garden bed is moving right along. We (read *Mathboy*) are nearly finished digging it and the mulch and ground cloth are waiting patiently to be put into place. Even better, it seems like maybe the rain is here for the summer so we'll be back to a nice evenly green lawn again. w00t!

Are We There Yet?

My countdown widget tells me that I've got fewer than 21 hours before I'm officially on Summer Vacation. I've got to tell you that it can't possibly come soon enough. Not only have the kids this year been exceptionally trying (like the creepy twerp who spent his entire ride today tying the seat belts into knots) but it's just plain ole' hot. I'm tempted to take a thermometer on the bus with me but somehow I suspect that verification that it's 100+ degrees would be disheartening to say the least. Now, in knitterly terms, how hot is it? Almost too hot to knit with linen for Pete's sake. Your hands get really sticky and the yarn just won't glide smoothly along the way you need it to.

What's all this doing to the Mimosa (ravelry link) that I'm working on? Well, I can't count any more and have to keep ripping back a row or five because I can't even figure out where I've gone wrong. I had hoped to be done with the border chart by the end of the week and it's just not going to happen. I spend my days knitting in between trips and my nights correcting the mistakes I made during the day. Oh well. I might be able to make up some time once I'm not captaining the cheese wagon seven and a half hours out of the day.

In other news, we're putting in a front garden bed. It's kind of a learning curve for me. I had a pretty decent little garden in Ontario but stuff that works in zone 4 or 5 will probably be deeply unhappy here in zone 9. Take Bleeding Hearts (Dicentra) for example; They're one of my favourite plants but they like moist, rich, well shaded soil. They're probably not going to do really well in our southern exposure, full sun from about 11:30 to sunset, sand/clay soil. It's all good though . . . Year round Canna Lilies will be nice. And more roses!

The Problem With Monogamy

. . . is that I get so focused on one thing that I ignore everything else. And no, it's not the spinning vortex. I'm feeling a little intimidated so I haven't really gotten past the "okay, lets get the wheel going consistently in a single direction" stage. In the period of time since I blogged last I've completed a Mimosa shawl (Designed by Sivia Harding (more Sivia here) for Big Girl Knits)

It was a gift for my mom and I had the marvelous Chris of Scotts Mountain Crafts design a matching set of earrings and shawl pin to go with it.

I've also finished a pair of Blue King Cabled Mitts (which I insist on typing mitss for every time)
Last but not least I knitted a doggy doorbell for Bairu. Instead of asking to go outside he just sits next to the back door where we can't see or hear him. He's in the habit of nudging the doorknob with his muzzle (we keep the doors locked or he might just be able to go outside . . . he can open round door knobs) so we hoped that if we hung some bells for him he'd learn to ring them. He's mostly connected the dots so I'm calling it a qualified success.

Ome's okay with the dogs going out. . . she just doesn't understand why we insist on letting them back in.

About a Wheel

The Friday before last I was on a hunt for Kumquat Pie to take with us for our weekly card night on Saturday (we're such party animals!). I parked my car on the edges of Hysterical Downtown Dade City (more antique shops than people) and headed for a shop that was rumoured to sell the creamy treats. It was about 20 minutes past five and as I approached I saw a woman collecting a sandwich board from the sidewalk. Since the board was in front of the store where I was going I assumed that the lady with the board would be able to assist me with my quest. Well, I was right . . . but not the way I'd thought. It turned out that the first store was actually closed and Penny, the sandwich board lady, was the proprietor of the antique shop next door. She told me where I could go for kumquat pie and, as I had to go past her store to get back to my car, I asked if, by any strange chance, she might have any spinning wheels in stock. Of course she did and I went in to take a look at it. The wheel was tucked away in a corner (evidently it's far too tempting for patrons children for it to be left in easy reach) and when I flipped the price tag I was shocked to see it was only $85. I guess my surprise showed because she hastily said "that price isn't firm". I smiled and said that I needed to think about it.
Upon my arrival home, I told Mathboy what I'd found, how much it was, that the price was negotiable, and made a point of saying how very crazy cheap it was even without bargaining. On Saturday, I mentioned it again and made Mathboy drive past the shop just so I could oh so very casually point it out. I'm sure I was about as subtle as a cast iron frying pan to the face.
Monday I was home sick (otherwise he would have been home before I finished work) and when Mathboy was on his way home he called and told me that he'd done some shopping and asked if I was feeling up to giving him a hand with his purchases. I was and when I heard him pull in I went outside. He popped the trunk on the car and went to grab the mail and when I lifted the trunk lid, there she was! He's a sneaky critter!
The wheel's going to need a fair amount of work before I can start spinning. At the very least I need to find a drive band and the whole wheel has got to be cleaned and oiled/polished. It's possible that the treadle requires replacing as there appears to be a crack or split along the length of the left side. There may or may not be other parts that I need to find as well so I think I'm going to wander down to Palm Harbor soonish and visit Uncommon Threads with the wheel and get some advice.

Squee!

Now if only I knew what to do with it. . .

There Are No Words

Breakthrough!

Evidently wonders will never cease. Last night on our way home from the home of some friends Mathboy said "If they're open, next week when we're up here, let's check out Mystic Fibers"

SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! What?? Wait! Who are you and where is my husband?

It turns out that my theory has been right all along. Mathboy has been reluctant to agree to any sort of major investment in the knitting thing and it's because Mother of Mathboy is an enthusiastic crafter. In her crafting life, she's done ceramics, plastic canvas, bunka, quilting, cross stitch, stained glass work, knitting, crochet and a host of other things. She's been very enthusiastic about each activity and, as a result, has a home that somewhat resembles a small, very well stocked, Michaels. Mathboy was afraid that I would show the same enthusiasm for knitting as his mother had for each of her hobbies but then, like his mother after gathering every tool ever thought of, move on to the next shiny thing. Evidently though, in the two and a half to three years that I've been knitting, I've proven my devotion, particularly through some trying times in the last month or two that really made me rethink this passion of mine, and he's realised that I am a Knitter and it's not going away any time soon. Woot! Onward and upward.

P.S. If you haven't already, go HERE and sign up for some squares. There's a little boy out there who could really use our thoughts, prayers, and some wooly love.

Somebody Loves Me

ETA: Go read Miss Scarlett's post here and if you can spare some yarn, kick in a square or two won't you?

Valentine's day yesterday was nice in spite of Mathboy being at school until fairly late. He received his traditional pear jelly beans, peanut butter cup and assortment of cards secreted in various locations, and I found this little guy waiting outside for me when I stepped out to get the mail.

In other mail related news, I purchased some Rowan Soft Baby from Christine of Three Dog Knits (she's still got some destashing to do and her prices are really really reasonable. Go Here) and it came on Wednesday. The yarn is a (sadly) discontinued single ply wool/cotton blend and it's softer than teddy bear fur. I can't wait to make a Baby Surprise Jacket from it (I think that's what it wants to be) and since the stuff is handwash only (good thinking there Rowan) I guess I'll be forced to put it in my own hope chest* rather than inflicting the handwash only madness on some poor unsuspecting new mom.

















*it's a hope chest because we're not actually trying yet. Just sayin'

Is it a full moon?

People these days are lunatics. Lunatics I tell ya.

When did everything that happens in one's orbit become all about them? What am I talking about? Here are some examples:

a) A certain blogger who shall remain nameless says (and not for the first time) that she doesn't wish her readers to go nuts with their concerns about her health and start firing uninvited medical advice and one of her readers becomes very affronted and states that it's not all about the blogger . . . well, um, it's her blog isn't it? If it's not about her, who pray tell, IS it all about? It's certainly not all about the blog readers.

b) I made a comment in my last entry about the Austermann Step that I'd just received. It turns out that the person who so passionately disliked Step still reads my blog (this honestly astounds me since evidently the very thought of me drives her to tears) and took great offense to my offhand quote and decision to think for myself with my yarn selection. Evidently it was a grave insult. Since when does my opinion about yarn of all things amount to derision? Furthermore, what's wrong with this woman that she thought I was making a personal attack? I used the quotation because it's stuck with me since the first time I heard it. It struck me as oddly naughty sounding (try googling hairy splitty slimy and see what comes up) and still makes me giggle. Other than recalling that I didn't think about her at all and my opinion one way or another had absolutely nothing to do with her.

I guess my final thought on all of this is just that some people need to get over themselves or seek therapy or something. It's not all about you . . . unless it's your blog *grin*

The puppies know that it's actually all about food.

The Postman Cometh

What came in the mail this week:

Monday brought Austermann Step in mint (#30) from the Loopy Ewe . I've heard this yarn derided as "hairy, splitty, and slimy" but I'm looking forward to trying it. In particular the aloe and jojoba infused fiber should be paradise for my poor dry fingers and toes.

As always, Sheri included a little treat with my purchase and this time around it was a teeny tiny little "Loopy's Red Sock Kit" (that washed out card in the background is the pattern)

Wednesday brought a treat from the bonus rewards on our evil plastic money. I've wanted a foot spa for ages and it's nice to finally have one that massages and stuff . . . instead of just a plastic bucket that I put hot water in *grin* In addition to the toy for me, Mathboy get a bench sized drill press, and we both got a shower clock/radio/ mirror gadget.

Today, from Susie at Perchance to Knit... (second link is her Etsy shop) a skein of her stunning handpainted 20/80 cashmere merino in Waikiki Sunrise won in her recent Funny Farm contest. It's gorgeous, as is the little matching Swarovski crystal stitch marker.

Lastly, also in todays mail, a power cable for my laptop. Badly needed because not only had *someone* decided to taste the cable but the plug itself was frayed and worn. Nice to have the laptop working properly again.