It's never enough Part II

Sorry it has been so long - this year has not started off well. Rushing around for the FLA meeting, work crap, kid stuff and then last week the nursing home called to tell me my mother has pneumonia and that they were sending her to the hospital. I have spend this past week driving back and forth to visit and feed her because she won't eat for the nurses. I am feeling worn out and miserable - I had a nasty stomach flu last week which completely wiped me out, on top of all the family stuff - argh.



In an effort to cheer myself up, I decided to knit myself a pair of NY Rangers socks, so I bought a bunch of sock yarn from elann.com - made sure I got Red, White and Blue. Then I went and googles Ranger jersey's and what did I find - a Sean Avery jersey!!! so I had my pattern - I printed out some Knitters Graph paper, drew my design and cast on:






My friend Mike's wife made these for Brian Leetch night - we hung out at his house and watched the raising of the #2 Jersey on Mike's 60 HDTV.

Right now the Rangers just scored the go ahead goal against the Canandiens, at least some things are going right this year.

Road trip!

David decided to get the kids and head north. He wouldn't tell us where we were going, just to dress warm and bring a bathing suit.

First stop was Battleship Cove in Falls River - the boys had been there on a boyscout trip a few years ago and really liked it, so we stoped there on the way to Boston. I haven't been here in almost 20 years so it was really interesting for me to see how much had changed! I even got to listen to the Ranger game on the radio as the Rangers have a home and home with Boston this weekend - we lost in the SO, but there is still today's game!

This morning we are going to do some sight-seeing and I am going on a yarn hunt - went on line and found the addresses of some LYS and plugged them into the GPS - then it is back home and work tomorrow - damn ( sighing sadly).........

ETA Pictures!!!










Red Sox Yarn from Boston

Rock on with your bad self

Took the What's your 70's Personna Quiz on BBC America:


Thanks for taking the quiz man, groovy far out, rock on with your bad self!

Rocker

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now. If this makes sense to you, we mean, if you can truly dig it, then you are either cleaning out grannies attic, or you worship at the altar of the Gods of Rock. You thrive on Plant, Daltrey, and Sabbath and you frown upon those who don't think that the greatest song ever recorded was Stairway to Heaven. If you've heard of Mad Dog 20/20, cloves, Boy Howdy!, and wore your hair down to there, then we raise our goblet of rock to you. We're not worthy. It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n roll.

Out with the old....

I am a very bad blogger, I know. I try to post often, but never do. I promise to make a better effort in '08 to post more, really, I do - honest.


Our National Sales Meeting was the first week of January this year, and again it was at Disney, but this time we had the whole Magic Kingdom for ourselves! It was almost surreal - no lines, no people - there were 4000 employees from my company and the park seemed deserted.

Of course I had flt issues coming home - my flight was delayed 3 1/2 hours in Orlando on Friday - 2 1/2 of which where spent sitting on the plane going nowhere. But I made it home in one piece and in time to attend Melissa's wedding on Saturday. Yes she finished the dress and yes she looked lovely! She looked like she stepped out of the pages of a Jane Austin novel, and she was so happy she glowed!!

I managed to finish all my holiday knitting, so now I am concentrating on finishing my marigold socks - I am trying to teach myself the tubular cast off - I will let you know how it goes.

however much I push it around - it's never enough, it's never enough

Kathleen C left me a comment asking about the pattern for my bosses scarf - it is my own based on the Double Basket Pattern from Barbara Walkers First Treasury of Knitting patterns pg 18.

I cast on 28 stitches on size 10 needles using the wool I bought in Rhinebeck - a natural handspun cushy yarn - worsted to heavy worsted wt.

Row 1 (right side) K11, P2, K2, P2, K11
Row 2 P1, K8, P2, (K2, P2)2x, K8, P1
Row 3 K1, P8, (K2,P2)2x, K2, P8, K1
Row 4 P11, K2, P2, K2, P11
Rows 5, 6, 7, 8 Repeat rows 1 - 4
Row 9 Knit all
Row 10 (P2, K2)2x, P12, (K2, P2)2x
Row 11 (k2, P2)2x, K2, P8, (K2, P2)2x, K2
Row 12 (P2, K2)2x, P2, K8, (P2, K2)2x P2
Row 13 (K2, P2)2x, K10, (K2, P2)2x, K2
Row 14, 15, 16, 17 Repeat rows 1 - 13
Row 18 Purl all

This will work for 28 stitches exactly - if you want to make the pattern wider you will need to see the stitch pattern in the book for the changes for repeats.

I picked this pattern because it looked masculine to me without being boring to knit.

I have been very productive this weekend - today I put up the new blinds in my living room that I had bought this summer and finally changed the curtains. I wanted to do this before we went out and got a tree this year. I like the way it looks:


I really wanted to paint before changing the curtains and getting the tree, but that is just not going to happen. I loved this color when I painted it, but now I really tired of the brightness, I want a neutral backround and a more soothing color scheme. I hope to get the painting done soon - just need to decide on the colors and pick a weekend when David is camping again with the boys so I can work in peace.

Well it rains and it pours When you're out on your own If I crash on the couch Can I sleep in my clothes?

This will be a rambling post - I am in that kind of mood


What I found in my mail today - my Ravelry Scarf Exchange package from koreancracker - Isn't that yarn the exact color of a NE autumn?

I love it

I had an idea a while ago to use some of those 4" bamboo DPN's I bought on ebay to make shawl pins - I went to AC Moore and picked up metallic paint and antique looking buttons and voila:

close ups:


I also bought a few items on ebay recently - one was a large silver pendent - I made this from it and some rubber tubing and silver beads:


I finished one of my Christmas gift scarves - this is for my boss #1 - I love working for this man - he is a pleasure to deal with and one of the reasons I love this job - I really hope he like this:



The wool is so soft and squooshy - it is comfortable around your neck


My birthday is the 19th of this month, it is genetically impossible for David not to give me my gifts when he buys them, so I have already gotten them - see that red lap top in the picture? Yup, mine - birthday gift (can I tell you how much I love this thing?)

I got another gift too, but this one requires a little back story.......

David and I started dating in October 1993, we went away together for the first time June 15th 1994 - yes the day after the Rangers won the Stanley Cup. I watched that last game in David's living room - he had gone to bed because we were leaving first thing the next morning and driving down to DC for a long weekend. I bought this latter that week:

I have worn this tshirt to bed at least once every week since, I also wear it when cleaning house and dying my hair and of course while watching hockey games on TV (NHL Center Ice Package - lots of hockey on tv)

Well after 13 years of wear:


So for my birthday David bought me this:

and the back:


He wants me to throw away the other one, but that is not going to happen! David is camping with the boys this weekend so I was able to sleep in it last night without having to listen to any rude comments.

I think that covers everything for now, have to work on the rest of my christmas scarves and my RME mittens - only 1 thumb to go and they are done.

Steady as she goes. so steady as she goes

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Mine was on the quiet side just my brother, David and I. I did make a yummy turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberry cornbread stuffing and a coconut custard pie for desert. I sent most of it home with my brother - David won't eat leftovers, calls it old food.

I am trying very hard to finish all the holiday scarves I am making for work - I am half done with Boss #1, 1/2 done with Princess, haven't started boss #2 and will make Boss Lady a headband - plus I still have to finish my RME Mittens. I finished mitten # 1 and am about 1/4 of the way thru mitten #2:



I really like this yarn, I want to buy myself 2 balls to make me mittens.

Speaking of the Ravelry Mitten Exchange, mine came today from Annaknits:


Aren't they pretty? I love this yarn.

I really need to get back to knitting and stop playing with the computor

He's a fine figure of a man, and handsome too....

Just a quick note to show off the wonderful goodies I received yesterday as part of the Ravelry Coffee exchange:


Isn't it great - look at that yarn, I love it and the mug and even Lavender chocolate - it smells heavenly! Thank you!

Progress on the mitten for the RME:

I am really enjoying these mittens - I mostly knit them during the Rangers games on TV - since I started them, the Rangers are undefeated! Someone on the Puck This group on Ravelry said knitting mittens was lucky, I plan on knitting a lot of mittens this season!

Discovering the Magic Loop has been awesome - I can finally knit mittens and (gasp!) socks without getting stabbed by those damn DPN's.

Later......

Rhinebeck - part 2

Here are the pictures I promised:


Cashmere Goat


Angora Bunny


Angora Goat


Maple Creek Angora yarn - 463 yards of yumminess!


Maple Creek Natural Wool - 300 yards becoming a Holiday gift for my boss.




Revolutionay War Era Cemetary in Old Rhineck

Rhinebeck was a lot fo fun this year, I drove up with Melissa, her fiance Brian and Gwen. We walked, we fondled, we shopped. It was good. I only brought a small amount of money with me, because really I don't need any more yarn!

Now on to some actual knitting - I finally finished the Wabenschal scarf for the Ravelry Scarf Exchange:


This is the unblocked version - I am very happy with how this turned out.


These are the mittens I am making for the Ravelry Mitten Exchange - the yarn is a wool, cashmere, silk, monofiber blend - very soft in a lovely tweedy blue color I bought from Elann.

The other project I am working on is the scarf shown above and some shawl KAL's that I am really behind on.

Rhinebeck

Yes, I was there and yes much much yarnage insued - pictures to follow.