frozen Niagra

some cool randomness for you (pun sort of intended)

and one more thing… again

lists of weird stuff… get your lists of weird stuff here…

http://listverse.com/2009/07/27/yet-another-20-fascinating-historical-facts/

from historical facts to the top 10 weirdest dating sites, this is a super fun place to browse.

Modifications

The lay off is now complete, we went out with a bbq, volleyball tournament and party.  It’s strange to be home today, I’ve worked Saturdays all year with a few exceptions.  I have never worked with such a fantastic group of people and I shall miss them.  Fortunately, several will be coming over to the new job that I (hopefully) will  be starting on the 14th.

In other news….  Will has another renter moving in right now.  Living with the first ex husband has some rather unique challenges and adding an unknown to the mix could prove interesting.  Fortunately, Will and I get along reasonably well so long as we don’t have the emotionality of a relationship.  It works out best for the kids, Marci started UVU last week and David is a junior in H.S. now.  There’s all the typical parental taxi stuff, what’s for dinner and ‘I did the dishes last time’ things and few of the old issues.

Mom and two of my sisters have been moving things out of Heidi’s storage unit – it’s still hard to believe she’s gone.  I’d like to have the Heidi’s stole but not entirely sure if it’s appropriate to tell Mom right now.  She’s holding up reasonably well but with her own health issues (mastectomy a few months ago and double knee replacement surgery in two weeks) I don’t want to push her to deal with anything she’s not ready for.

Knitting has been a bit slow the last week or so but I’m plugging along on the socks for soldiers, frogged a pair of purple multi/metalic gloves that I’d started and deciding what to do with some of the hanks in the yarnstash.

I’ve been going through my knitting mags, the free patterns on ravelry and sorting through what I want to knit with what is within my skill set with not too much stretch at the moment.  My new job (hopefully – yes, that word again – I was made the tentative offer yesterday and waiting until they come back with the firm one) is business casual and after several years of wearing jeans I need to think about what articles I need to include in the new wardrobe.

There has also been some perusing of knitting articles including this outstanding on on modifications for up-sizing sweaters from Vogue Knitting.  Since I have a reasonably extensive sewing background I understand garment modification concepts but the translation from cutting fabric to creating the fabric isn’t always as clear as it should be.

Also, I’ve been going over the Kitchener directions by Margaret Radcliffe in the latest edition of Knit ‘N Style.  Not sure what it is, sometimes Kitchener has made perfect sense to me and others my fingers just don’t quite connect with the brain.  I’d strongly recommend picking up a copy from your LYS or online.

Currently On The Needles

1. WRT’s second Summer Sock is ready for heel turn, not too much longer to go there
2. S4S has finally been found (temporarily ‘lost’ in yet another move) and is cast on
3. Mom’s ‘Not Pink’ Comfort Wrap
4. Carnival Top

I need to get WRT’s  socks finished so can keep moving along on the Socks for Soldier olive drab pair.  Mom’s wrap is coming along, it’s a little more plain than I’d like but she’s not really into tons of lace.  I may just knit her up a proper lace shawl one of these days though and bet she’d wear it!

The Carnival Top is from Knit ‘N Style, April 2009 (ravelry link) – comfy, fun, easy going.  I’m doing it in light lavendar Caron Simply Soft that I had sitting around for quite a while.  It’s been far too hot to wear recently so haven’t worked on it for a few weeks.  Guessing if I don’t get a j-o-b quickly after the lay-offs I’ll have plenty of time to work on pretty much anything I want to (that I have the yarn for, of course).

Life, death, knitting sanity

Heidi H. Benson 1966-2009

My dear sister Heidi (of Heidi’s stole ‘fame’) passed away early this morning after a long struggle with health and mental issues. The last two weeks have been spent knitting socks in the ICU to keep my hands busy, give WRT something tangeable to show my love and appreciation for his support and strength through all this, and a blue wrap for Mom to hopefully comfort her a tiny bit.

I wish I knew how to express my feelings at this point. I love Heidi so much and I’m grateful that she is finally at peace. I’m filled with grief that she’s gone, I miss her horribly all ready. It hurts that my parents are having to deal with her passing. Parents simply aren’t meant to outlive their children, particularly aging parents. In addition to my own sorrow I have a hard time watching my other sisters go through this. Heidi has certainly had her ups and downs, it’s been a difficult and tumultous life for her.

Her son, Tyler, passed away several years ago and she put the love and energy she had as a mother into her nieces and nephews. Yet she was always the favorite aunt, the one who entertained, provided for, loved all her nieces and nephews – all her family but particularly the younger generation.

Mom and two other sisters are working on her obituary right now and I need to get over there to help out with the other arrangements. I’ll write more later on.

——–
I ended up writing her obituary with a lot of input from the rest of the family. We went to the mortuary, picked out her casket – she’d like it – went over the arrangements. It was a bitter-sweet experience as we cried, smiled at memories, Mom even commented on how much knitting I got done at the hospital, we wondered how to get everything finished and just what really needs to be done…

I’m so grateful that my parents have the support of their neighbors/fellow church members; as I was pulling in the driveway this morning several of their friends were all ready there. By the time we got home from the mortuary someone had dropped off a few groceries so Mom doesn’t have to worry about going to the store, another friend had brought a pot of stew over and had it simmering on the stove. Their church group has worked out meals for the next few days, a house sitter during the funeral, a family lunch afterwards, etc. Again, I am so tremendously grateful that they are being taken care of.

Another thing I’m grateful for is how wonderful and supportive my own friends have been throughout the last two weeks. I’ve had constant texts and phone calls, offers of rides and a great deal of support. I’ve been very blessed.

Capelet Stole blocked and interview

H’s stole is DONE (except for weaving in ends… but done enough for now).  I am so excited!!!!!   It looks like something she will enjoy wearing, I hope so!  Now that it’s done, it was a fun knit.  hehehehehe    Casting off was sheer torture, blocking wasn’t bad though – wet and stretch and dry.  Not that difficult.

My interview this afternoon ended up being with a lovely lady I’d interviewed with before at a different company!  We had so much fun in the interview a year and a half ago that today was almost like visiting a friend rather than a  ‘please hire me, I truly must have a job’ ordeal.  We’ll see what works out.

I’m in LUST

On my way back from picking up my 14 year old from his dad’s house I stopped at Three Wishes, a Local Yarn Store (LYS).  OMG – touch, feel, look, sigh, touch again…..  the only thing I actually purchased was a set of sz 3 bamboo dpns but I will be back for more and more and more….  omg wow!

For you non fiber oriented people that occaisionally browse through – imagine wrapping yourself in the softest, finest silk known to man then luxuriously running it through your fingers repeatedly until you’ve created a soft cloud of beautiful, sexy warmth.

Promise, it’s not a current pic as there is no snow on the ground today.  Hope not, it’s 82 outside right now.  That would be difficult to explain hehe.

I finally got to touch (and managed to hide the drool) Panda’s Silk, Cotton, Bamboo, Wool, a bunch of Nashua yarns, Regias… the list goes on and on.  It’s probably a very good thing my son was with me or I would have been there until the dear lady working closed up.  She was so accomodating, knows her stuff and even let me feel the Harry Potter scarf she’s working on for one of her own offspring.

 

yes, it’s true…. I’m in lust!

Knitting and wow!

I’ve been making progress on the first pair of Socks 4 Soldiers – slow slow slow progress.  The first sock for TJ’s daughter is nearly finished, hope to get it done tonight and cast on second one by Saturday.  My dear uncle passed away this week and have the funeral in the morning then work.  Oh yeah, I got a job.  go me!  I’ve also come across a fantastic person who seems to keep me far more focused than I’ve been for a very long time.

Socks, yarn and life

ok, DH’s socks are nearly done (emphasis on nearly – his bday is tomorrow) and my RA is acting up – good timing ughhhh.  I have to say that I LOVE the Knit Picks Essential but I am not even remotely in love with working dark navy blue.  It’s hard to see what I’m doing with it, gussets have to be done in full day light with the lights on in the front room and I’m not that blind  lol. 

I like the way Essentials feels, and will definitely be using it quite a bit in the future – lighter colors though.  It does have a tendency to split a little so having to be extra careful particularly with the dark color.  There are a couple of obvious splits in the first sock but…. it’s my first ‘real’ sock so additional practise will probably help that.  I managed not to get any ladders but there is one ‘hole’ in the gusset area – again the light issue – but pretty sure I can fix it.

My knitting tends to be pretty tight so I’m working on size 3 dpns but next pair will try going down to 2 circular.  That will definitely give a very tight sock but that’s more user friendly – right?  I may even make him tube socks with it as that’s what he normally wears.

I’m trying to find the right purple/black colorway to start TJ’s funky socks.  Lorna’s Laces black purl looks good but might possibly go with something more purple and less grey going into black. 

Maybe ‘purple’

 

 still trying to visualize how they will knit up into a fun, funky, lacey pair of socks.