Some Don't Like Mondays

And I can sympathize. After a very good weekend full of housekeeping, and knitting, and football and visiting with friends, it's very hard to get excited about going to work. However, considering the alternative, I'll just go in with a smile on my face and be thankful that I can continue to earn my living. There are cats and a dog to feed, and me too. And yarn that hasn't been purchased yet. So...off I go. Hope your day goes extremely well!

I'm a Winner!

Knitty Otter had a contest.
E I E I O
And in the contest I got second
E I E I O
With sock yarn here
And sock yarn there
Fun book
Chewing gum
Chocolate, chocolate everywhere
Knitty Otter had a contest
E I E I O

Go over and see what I won because the pictures I took really, really suck! Yummy sock yarn that I've never seen before and have been cuddling with. And a really fun book...except I think I wore some of those items. Makes me wonder what future generations will think of some of the things that are designed now.

So now that I have the yarn for the Lady Sweater, and softball sock on the needle, it's time to show progress. 'cept there hasn't been any. Softball was rained out and/or games have been out of town. They start so early that unless they are here, I can't get to them in time to watch. Lady Sweater? Not even a swatch.

But I have been knitting. Last summer I bought a bunch of Rowan Spray during Webs' Summer sale even though I had no idea what it would be like. Somehow it just called my name and it was at a price (then) I could afford. One morning while eating Cheerios, I decided it should be a afghan. EZ's garter stitch. Oh it's mostly mindless but my gosh, it surely makes my hands hurt. Size 15 needles in hands used to maybe sometimes using an 8 is a new adventure. I've been knitting like a mad dog because I don't think I have quite enough and I need to see how much more I need to buy. My plan is to knit two of the pieces. Count balls of yarn used and then check the rest of the stash. Since it's supposed to be handwashed or dry cleaned I'm thinking that it probably isn't the smartest thing I've ever done. No way could it be hand washed! But hopefully any hair balls will clean up well by spot cleaning. Cause you KNOW as soon as it's done and blocked, somebody will grace it with a gift!

Here's a sucky pic of it so far.



And no, I don't have a yellow floor.

And here's a better pic of the yarn.



And now I have to go hop in the tub and get dressed because today I'M GOING TO THE STATE FAIR! Getting all ready for sheep, and cinnamon rolls, and goats, and gyros, and cows, and funnel cake, and quilting, and corn dogs, and knitting and candy apples, and spinning, and ferris wheels and and and. Actually I don't think I can eat all that but gyro and funnel cake are definitely on the list.

See ya laters!

Softball Sky

It was a very drizzly evening as the girls headed out on the field. Gray,overcast and wet.

But later, if you looked west you saw this



And, if you looked east you saw this.



Double beauty and a real treat. Just think, all the folks inside watching tv probably missed it.

New Stuff

After a week of extremely tiring work followed by extremely tiring evenings, I took Saturday off. Well, almost. I did the laundry first and got some groceries, then hopped into the car and went to the City. Had lots of fun at the LYS, talking and laughing and buying yarn. Most fun was that I had a $20 coupon to turn in on the price. Yay! And there was a stop at Barnes and Noble and Michael's. And a futile stop at Best Buy.

Got home mid-afternoon just in time to watch the first (on tv that wasn't ppv)OU football game! Another yay! Even if I did doze off sitting up and was awakened when a cat climbed onto my shoulder.

Finally play time was over and I thought I'd do the ironing so I didn't have to do it today but bleh...the iron doesn't work anymore. And I love that iron! I think I might be able to fix it but not today. So another trip out to secure a new iron. How exciting is that? And, as another treat, I got a package of those watering balls. If they work, I'm going to get another pair. Some of my plants are rather awkward to water and this could be a lot easier and less potential for mess.



The yarn? Cascade 220 in a deep piney with a sort of blueish undertone for February Lady Sweater. I've never knit a sweater so this should be interesting. I bought yarn for a sweater this summer but I didn't get enough. Note to self...don't just guess at how much will be needed. Today after all the chores I ignored yesterday were done, I sat down to mark the pattern so that I'd not get mixed up on how many stitches were needed in any section. I got out my brand new fluorescent yellow highlighter and was going great guns when ooops...I forgot that it was printed on an inkjet printer and the highlighter smeared the numbers. So I'll print it out at work maybe on the laser. It's always something. :-)

But now it's time for more football..or maybe a nap. I am for sure a happy girl today.

Living Out of a Box

Well, sorta. For the last two weeks, I've been putting all the books in the living room and bedroom in boxes and toting them down to the basement. I didn't realize how many there were or how heavy they were. I finally wore completely out so some of the knitting books and notebooks are in their boxes in the play room. All furniture was dragged out into other spaces and a deep cleaning began. Walls were washed (if I'd planned better, I would have painted) in anticipation of the great Labor Day/Rug Doctor weekend. Which would have been easier if I hadn't had to drag furniture from one room to another in the midst of it. But it's done. And I can paint later..maybe.



The box? Well here it is. Current knitting. The stripey sock is also known as Softball Sock since the only time I knit on it is at The Girl's games. And school ball just started. The gorgeous seagreen/blue yarn is a new acquisition. You can see it better here.



Totally yummy goodness from Jessie at A Piece of Vermont. Its 60%merino 30% Bamboo and 10% Nylon. Undoubtedly the most luxurious sock yarn I've ever had. So far, I have the ribbing done for one sock. After this weekend, my hands hurt too much to use my smaller needles. But just petting it occasionally makes me very happy

And next to it is the project getting the most time lately. A winter scarf that's easy on the hands and brain. Just what I need right now.



And a new magazine that arrived in the mail...and tucked inside it are bills that came the same day. Note to self: Pay bills before they get lost. And something from Netflix and the remotes.

Late yesterday I brought in a dresser that was in the play room to replace the non-functional cabinet model tv that used to be used as somewhere to put the little tv that works. It's now on the front porch waiting for bulky trash day. How redneck is my life?? Oh yeah, baby! This dresser will give me a lot of storage in there. Now to figure out what to do with the stuff that was in it. And the wall stuff needs to be moved. The clock will stay, but Gold Hill and sheep and Beatrix Potter have to find a new space.



Much to do. But today is Labor Day! It's, for me, ranks right up there with Christmas. The winter holiday will always be beloved if only for all the sparkle and twinkle it adds to life. But Labor Day...it's about ME and YOU and all the others that work for a living.

And it will be celebrated on the loveseat with my feet up. And it will include lots of hopes of good fortune for those affected by Gustav. Hang on Terri! And the scarf will grow a bit. And email will get answered. And maybe...err..probably a nap.