1 week and counting

One week from tomorrow and I will be on vacation for 2 weeks - i can hardly wait. I have been trying to decide what projects I will take with me. This is what I decided on - one crochet and one knit. The crochet project I picked is a stole I designed and I am using yarn I received from my SP - here is a picture:



The knit project is one I wanted to make since I saw it on this blog - I went out and bought the book the same week. I am using this yarn that I bought at The Yarn Tree in Brooklyn.

I am still waiting patiently for the yarn I bought from Mystical Creations and Red Bird Knits - I hope the buttercream comes before I leave - the other probably won't, as it is dyed to order.

Tomorrow my mother is spending the night at the respite center - a trial before we go away - please keep your fingers crossed that all goes smoothly and she has no trouble sleeping over. I don't know what I will do if she can't stay there.

Here is a picture of my mystery stole - I haven't gotten very far but it is coming out really well - the yarn in elann's Puruvian Alpaca - so soft and warm it will be very very cozy when it is finished.

Oh and I splurged and bought myself these: just cause i could.

Almost normal again

Today was Clara's first full day at the Day Care center - my brother said she got home okay and was ok. So it seems this will work and I can get my life back it relatively normal again. Yeah! I can't tell you how exhausted I have been - I think I have gained about 20 lbs since my brother was in the hospital - I eat my way through stress - not good! Hopefully things will calm down now and I can relax. I am glad she is happy there because she will be staying there while we are on vacation. They have a respite program there for just such occasions.

My vacation is in 2 weeks and I am really looking forward to it this year. We leave on Sept 6 and fly here, we are staying here. From there we are driving here and up to here and finally here and from there we fly home. I am hoping to meet up with another knit blogger or two while there.

I am working steadily on my scarf exchange scarf - I want to finish it this week so I can mail it out before I leave. I have indulged in some retail therapy and purchased this in the buttercream color. I also bought this and this in vanilla and peach respectively. I have picked out a few things from GOL that might work with these.

I think I am going to soak in a hot tub then work some more on my scarf - later........

Weekend Update

Well some good news - I found a Day Care program that will take my mother in. It is in the neighborhood and she starts on Monday. It is a temporary solution till her Medicaid is approved and I can get her into a nursing home. She is totally unable to care for herself anymore and needs constant supervision. I can't stress enough to everyone to plan for the future, start now - set up a care network, join your local senior center and AARP, get Long Term Care insurance - Don't wait till you need help to start thinking about these things.

Enough of this - on to knitting content. I received a pkge from my secret pal last week - here is what was in it:

and this

I used the beads to make this:

And here is a sock I started about a year ago: I don't know why I never seem to finish socks. These are really pretty and the yarn - cascade fixation - is really soft and stretchy, I am sure I would love wearing them - if I can ever get myself to finish them!

Progress

I finally finished something - my SES is done! Here is a picture of it blocking:
and here is a closeup: I even added beads to it, but they match the yarn so perfectly, you can't see them unless you get really really close.

I decided to finish it in a hurry after I realized that my mother had broken the yarn on this and on my mariah, I don't know why - she doesn't remember doing it, but I found the ball of yarn from mariah in her apartment today - she must have stashed it in her bag when I wasn't looking when she was here last week. I have 2 people from different Adult Day Care programs coming to assess her tmrw - I am praying she can get into one of these soon. Then I have to find out who I can call to do a PRI assessment, which is the first step to getting her into a nursing home, so she can have 24 hour attention, which she needs.

I've made some progress on my scarf exchange gift too, see: I think I am going to trim it with Jo Sharp DK wool in aubergine, I really like they way they look together and I found a very pretty edging pattern in one of my stitch directories. I like this pattern I am using for the scarf because it is reversible, I like that it looks the same on both sides

Still here

Sorry I haven't posted in a while - I am still dealing with my mother and her dementia. I have found 2 Adult Day Care programs in Queens, someone is coming from each on Monday to assess her condition - so please send positive energy my way that she gets into one and will be happy and I can get my life back.

Haven't really been doing to much knitting/crochet - my heart and head hasn't been in it. I frogged the purple scarf when I realized I had knit the same row 2x. I am a little farther along on it and will post pictures soon. The elegantly Simple shawl hasn't been touched, neither has the mystery stole and I haven't started the mystery shawl. I did receive my order of Zephyr in the copper color - wow is this stuff gorgeous! I have to wind it - I think I am going to use it for a shawl in GOL.

More later.....

need a laugh?

Please check this out - after I stopped laughing I was speechless.

I have joined a whole bunch of swaps and exchanges - The Crochetville Autumn SP, Celia's Scarf Exchange, Crochetville Holiday Exchange, the Summer of Lace, Mystery Shawl KAL, Mystery Stole KAL & the Crochetville Squares Exchange! I admit it - I am a joiner.

Here are the first of the 34 squares I need to crochet by October:
I am using a dk wt acrylic in sage and rust colors - I really like the combo - I'll see how far this yarn gets me - If I need more I will add more colors instead of getting more of the same.

Here is an updated picture of my Simply Elegant Lace Shawl:
I LOVE this yarn and want to buy lots more in all their colorways - If I ever get back to Montana I am camping out at Mountain Colors.

I also picked up 2 books - A Gathering of Lace & Shawls & Scarves - the best of Knitters. I wan to knit everything in these books - I can't decide what to start next.

Once last "What's wrong with this picture":
Located by the train station in Wantagh

What I did on my summer vacat er business meeting

I left for CT on Tuesday afternoon, took the Pt Jeff/Bridgeport Ferry then drove to Old Saybrook. Man was it hot! I thought I would melt - literally before I got there. All I wanted to do was get to my room and wash up and put on dry, clean clothes. When I got in my room this what I saw:


That is a bottle of Chardenay, two glasses and a lovely card thanking me for staying - then in the bathroom:

Yup - a jacuzzi and this:
the best cotton terry bathroom ever!
Needless to say the wine, the tub and I had a lovely evening.

The next night after our meeting we met here:
and did this:
after we docked for dinner we watched the storm come in:


I love this job

shawls, stoles and scarves oh my

Not much to post about so I'm going for the picture being worth 1000 words. Here is a picture of the Simply Elegant Shawl from Heartstrings:

I am using one sk. of mountain colors weavers wool in wilderness - I will just keep knitting till I run out of yarn. This yarn is lovely to work with and the colors are amazing.

Here is picture of the fabulous purple stole I received from my crochetville secret pal Tandi (quirkyvirgo) Isn't it beautiful, and so soft! This is a shot of the rest if the goodies in my reveal package: Thank you Tandi - I love everything!

And lastly here is a picture of the scarf I am making for Celia's scarf exchange:
I had one sk. of Halcyon Yarn's victorian brushed mohair that I received from clothesknit for my coming in 2nd in her FBS contest. I used a provisional cast on because I wasn't sure how long one skein would go, so this way I can add a border if I need more length. I am using this pattern - I thought it was lacy yet not too busy for the yarn.

I got nuttin....

so I stole this from Wild Yarn:

Name three things you can't live without. David, yarn, chocolate
What fictional character would you like to hang out with? Rachel from Dead Witch Walking
What are you most afraid of? Being homeless
What song always makes you cry? Me and Bobby McGee by Janis - bawl like a baby
What makes you laugh harder than anything? Being with David - we laugh alot
What would you choose to come back as in your next life? A bear - I can totally do sleeping all winter and eating all summer
What is the best advice you were given by yourself or someone else? Do what you feel in your heart is true.
What still surprises you? How truely hurtful people can be. (I have to agree with Dawn here)
What quality can make you instantly connect with someone? a sense of humor (here too)
What turns you off right away? Meaness/rudeness
If you could read the works of only one person, who would that be? Dilbert
What's really difficult for you? Facing unpleasant truths/responsibilities
What do you wish you had done differently? Gone away to school when I had the chance
Where do you do your most creative thinking? Oh the sofa
What motivates to many of you actions? Selfishness
What do you want done with your body when you die? Dust in the wind
Psychic or Shrink? Healer
Vintage or modern? Vintage
Cat or Dog? yes
What is your mantra? Relax - it will get better

So what about you?

Knitting content - whoda thunk that!

Here is the happier, knitting content I promised. First here are the prizes I won last week:


Red Soho yarn from knitorious and beaded necklace and bracelet from http://minxknits.blog-city.com/minxknits

Lace Leaf Shawl when I ran out of yarn


LLS after I added black cotton border unblocked


LLS blocking


LLS detail closeup


Haremail Package
Lots of cool stuff in there. I love the bunny cookie cutters!

Now off to finish my mystery shawl and wind the catalina yarn for the next LLS - speaking of which The Yarn Tree, where I bought this yarn is having a sale starting this weekend - I am going to go back and buy more so I can make the larger size this time. I think I will head over there on Sunday morning, before heading over to Grand Central Station - I have a 2 day business meeting at the Stamford Marriott and I decided to take the train so I could knit lace on the trip there. Anybody know a good yarn shop in Stamford?