Noolie Knits

First Day of Winter

   

    After last week's ice storm and three storms this week, I am sick of it already!  

(FO's tomorrow)

WNBP

It's Wednesday and that means it's time for the Wednesday Night Bullet Post, so let's get right to it, shall we?

• As you all know (because I won't stop telling you) I am still fairly far behind on my blog reading.  Because of this, I hadn't read my friend Debby's post about her "Get Your Guts in Gear" fundraiser before posting about helping friends yesterday.  Debby's husband, Chris, suffers with IBD and her lovely spokescat from last year, Charlie, had IBD.  Sadly, Charlie passed away from IBD-related leukemia last fall (apparently this can happen in cats, but not people). Chris is going to be riding in a 210 mile/3 day bike ride to raise awareness and funds for patients suffering with these diseases.  Please read Debby's post here and help if you can.  She's even offering prizes including some yarn dyed in memory of Charlie - it's gorgeous.

• It seems that Wednesday (in our part of the country at least), means it's not only time for the WNBP, but it's also time for more effing snow/sleet/rain and just plain crappy weather. I'm trying very hard to believe that winter really will end sometime (and not just on the calendar), but I'm finding it harder and harder with each storm.  There's no accumulation today, but I'm so sick of the wet and dreary weather I could just scream!

• I'm dreaming of the days of floating in my pool, with the bright, hot sun beating down on me, and a nice Stoli orange vodka & tonic in the cup holder on my float.  Please tell me those days will be here eventually.

• Just as I had hoped, Patti brought her spinning to Chicks with Sticks last night and I was able to get a couple of pictures. 

 

• Can you believe how nicely her yarn is coming out?  She's a natural, I tell ya.  She even mentioned that she'd like a lesson on my back deck with Alice in the Summer.  Of course, she said the summer of 2010, but I know she meant summer of 2008!

• I had hoped to be able to show you a finished Neverending Sweater today, but alas, it truly is never ending.  Actually, I only have about 2 inches left to knit on the hood and I'm hoping to be able to stay awake long enough to knit that tonight.

• Speaking of being able to stay awake; just a couple of days after telling you that I thought I was catching up on my sleep, I took a turn for the worse in that department.  Not that I wasn't getting enough sleep; I've been sleeping really well through the night lately (sometimes going to bed as early as 7 or 8) and I haven't even had any help from sleeping aids for the last week or so.  The problem now is that even though I'm sleeping ALL.THE.TIME (at least it feels that way), I'm still exhausted by lunchtime.  I was scheduled for a recheck with the doctor next week, but have been having some pain in the front of my neck for about a month now, and hubby convinced me to push the appointment up.  Seems I may have an issue with my thyroid (doesn't sound serious); I'm going for some blood work tomorrow.

• Samm got an adorable tattoo yesterday; it's a 4-leaf clover on the inside of her ankle.  It's beautiful!  She wants it to heal completely before I can get a picture to show you, so you'll just have to wait a little while.  Shouldn't be too long.

• There have been rumors of a Dunkin Donuts going in very, very close to my house (not in my town; we're too snobby for chain restaurants), but only about 3 minutes away in the neighboring town.  I checked with my Assessor friend there yesterday to find out for sure, and YIPEEEEEEE; it should be opening in May.  (Why yes, I do like the DD coffee; why do you ask?)  I think I'll be changing my route into work ever so slightly in a couple of months :-)

• Speaking of coffee, I've still been very good about no late afternoon or evening coffee unless I have to teach a class at night (which has only been once since limiting the coffee) and on Tuesday nights so that I don't fall asleep at Chicks with Sticks.  I buy my last coffee on my way back to work after lunch (12:30) and sip it for about an hour or so and that's it.  Any of you who know me, know what a HUGE accomplishment that is.

• Hopefully, my car will remember to turn on my road on the way home from work instead of going straight for another couple of miles once DD opens :-)

I guess that's enough of the random for one night. 

Have a good one!

Remember Me?

Sheesh!  I complained in my last post that the weekends are too short and the weekdays are so long and what happens?  All of a sudden an entire week has passed and I have no idea where it went. 

So, what have I done since we last "talked"?

I haven't spent much time on the computer which explains why Bloglines says I have over 200 posts to read. 

I also  haven't done any spinning (still), but that's going to change beginning this week.  Brenda and I are taking a spinning class with Amy in a few weeks and I need to have a couple of bobbins of singles spun before the class.  Sometimes, I just need a deadline to force me to make the time to do the things I mean to. 

Okay, so that's what I HAVEN'T done since we last talked; here's what I have done:

Preemie Hat #4
Yarn:  Bernat Satin Sport
Needles:  Size 2.5 dpn's


Preemie Hat #5
Yarn:  Caron Simply Soft Baby
Needles:  Size 4 dpn's


Clover's hat (to match her cousins' hats)
Yarn:  Plymouth Baby Alpaca Brush Paint
Needles:  size 7 dpn's


Samm's Hat
Pattern:  Thorpe
Yarn:  Paton's Classic Merino in Bright Red and Dark Grey Mix
(double strand throughout to get gauge)
Needles:  size 9 circulars & size H crochet hook

Are you sensing a theme here?  It's been all about the hats here in Noolieville.  Since the beginning of the year (all 14 days), I've completed 8 projects (9 if you count the slippers that are just waiting to be felted) and 7 of those projects are hats!

Just to break things up a bit (and because I wanted to make Clover's Nana, Jay's Mom, a birthday present) I crocheted a scarf this weekend.  I started it Saturday night and finished it this morning.  It would have been finished yesterday if I didn't have to fight with a skein of yarn that decided to get all tangled up - it took me a couple of hours to untangle it!  I'm kind of proud of myself for sticking with that; normally I would have thrown it in a bag and grabbed another skein; I have plenty more of the same yarn.  Anyway, here's the scarf:

   and a close up:

"Birthday Scarf"
Yarn:  Berrocco Softwist Bulky (I can't believe they call this stuff "bulky")
Color: True Teal
Hook:  Size J
Pattern:  My own, based on the afghans my Nana used to make. 

I love the way this came out - the color is gorgeous, the yarn is soft, and I really like the texture the pattern gives it.  I hope she likes it.  I will be writing up the pattern eventually in case anyone would like it.  It is crocheted on the diagonal and would look great with some self patterning yarn.

I made a yarn trade with Tempe last week, I sent her some Noro Kureyon and some TOFUtsies sock yarn and she sent me FIVE balls of Jojoland "Melody" in a lovely variegated green and purple mix. 

(I shamelessly swiped this picture from Tempe's blog). 

I think I definitely got the best part of this deal!  I have been wanting to knit the Forest Canopy Shawl for a while and think this will be the perfect yarn.  I cannot wait to start it. 

But first I have two projects to complete; can you guess what they are?  Yep, hats!   I promised Jay I'd make him the Seaman's Cap and I've joined the "Do the Amanda" knit along.  Check it out; it's a beautiful hat pattern  designed by Gina using Malabrigo yarn.  I'm planning to make this hat for myself! 

Change of subject - weather:  we are getting blasted with a shitload of snow here today.  I'm pretty tired of it, but I guess I should get used to it because I hear we're getting another big storm on Friday.  I sure hope we have an early spring and a long summer after this nasty winter!

Well, that's it I guess.  Have a great day!

Snow Day

We got a little of the white stuff today.

That's the weeping crabapple tree in the center of my front yard (heehee I just typed front yarn). 

Luckily, I didn't have to go to work at the gym this morning (although I still got up at 4 thinking I was going); I was worried that I'd get there fine and then not be able to get home.  There wasn't too much snow at 5am when I called my boss, but I knew it was going to be nasty.  He decided not to open - yay!  He's really very good about closing when the weather is nasty.   The downside is that I don't get paid if I don't work, but I can't spend the money if I get killed on the way home, right?

Hubby had to go to work today which meant the shoveling was up to me and Jay (mostly Jay).  We shoveled and shoveled and shoveled and then the snow plow came by and left a lovely snowbank at the end of the driveways (we have 2)!  How do they always know just when to come by?  Same thing happened later on when Jay went out to clean up what had accumulated since we were out there.

We lost power this evening, thankfully it was for just a few minutes.  Jay had just put Clover on the changing table when the lights went out - it was pitch black in there.  Samm and I ended up pointing flashlights at her while he finished the diaper change.  I then went upstairs and got the "storm kit" (minus the coffee) so the next diaper change would be a bit easier.   Samm put the headlight on, turned on the lantern, and posed for a picture - the lights turned on just as I clicked the picture.  I don't know why, but we all just cracked up (apparently, we are easily amused). 

The swelling has gone done in my hands.   I didn't knit a stitch on Thursday or Friday and only knit a little bit on Saturday and today.  I was able to spin a little bit on Friday night and some yesterday.   It was hard not to knit, but I figured it was better to put the knitting down for a couple of days than to aggravate the hands and not be able to knit for who knows how long.  I'm hoping that they don't swell up again because of the shoveling.  They are a little sore, but I think they'll be okay.

Well, that's all for tonight.  Stay warm!

Too Lazy to Think of a Clever Title

Tuesday already?  I know I say this all the time, but really folks, where the F**k does the time go?  And if so much time has passed, why don't I have more to show for it? 

I did have a nice weekend; spent Saturday saying goodbye to summer.  It was in the 90's here and it was a weekend; I had to spend it in the pool!  Really, what choice did I have?  I even stayed in there after I was ready to get out because I knew it was my last day of pool floating for the year and I was determined to get in every minute I could.  I'm really glad I did too, because the weather took a turn on Sunday and Fall is definitely here.  As soon as it stops raining, I have to go pull the plug on the pool.  That always makes me sad :-(

After getting out of the pool, I brought Alice downstairs and started what I had planned to be just a bit of spinning.  Ha!  Who did I think I was fooling?  Apparently, spinning is as addictive as knitting; who knew?  I ended up spinning for several hours, stopping only long enough to grab something to eat.  Pictures when I finish; I've spun about 3 of the 4 oz. I have of  this fiber.

I finished Clover's first sweater this weekend.  Can you guys handle another picture of Tina?  I hope so, because she's doing the modeling.

I'm very happy with how this came out, and Samm's happy with it too (she even said Tina doesn't look quite so freaky with a hood on).

Pattern:  Knitting Pure and Simple Baby Tunic
Yarn:  Plymouth Jelli Beenz., color 6201
Needles:  Addi's 6 & 8 circular; and dpn same sizes

I made a little, teensy, tiny baby sock out of some of the left over yarn.  I'll show you a picture when I make the second one.  Hopefully, it's not so small that it won't fit.

That's all I've got for you for now.  Chicks with Sticks tonight - YAY!

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CLICK TO HELP: Goal - $1,500Raised - $55518 DAYS TO GO
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Saturday Sky

One minute I was floating around in the pool, reading my book and enjoying the hot sun.  The next minute, I was racing to get out of the pool as the clouds and thunder were moving quickly overhead.

Right now I am sitting inside watching the thunder and lightening storm outside the window.  I keep jumping at every roar of thunder or bolt of lightening, but I sit here in my wet bathing suit hoping it'll pass by quickly.  I just know that once I change, the sun will come back out. 

In knitting news, Ella's sweater is finished except for the seaming.  There are only 2 seams, but I think I'll wait and bring it to the gym tomorrow morning and do it there.  I want to work on the SKB tonight; I'd like to finish it before it's too cold to wear it.

I'll be away at school next week; I'm leaving shortly after work tomorrow.  Not sure how much internet access I'll have.  I'm hoping there'll be connections in the rooms, but I'm not counting on it.  I'm hoping I'll have at least some limited access and if I do, I'll be in touch. 

Have a great week, everyone :)

ETA:  The thunder and lightening has stopped, the rain is almost gone and the National Weather Service has just now issued a "Severe Thunderstorm Warning" for our area.  Sheesh!

I'm Feeling Lucky

I didn't lose power; I didn't have severe flooding; no trees down on my house or in my yard.  My family is safe and sound. 

Others were not so lucky.  York Beach was flooded pretty badly again; the ocean was rushing through the center of town where all the shops are.   Several houses in Old Orchard Beach, a town not too far from here, are gone or will be gone by morning.  A Grandmother and her Grand-daughter were killed in Lebanon, another town in York County.  A lot of devastation all along the seacoast.

I am feeling lucky indeed.

BRING IT ON!

I'm ready.

 

That's a battery powered lantern and a headlight to ensure enough light to knit and some caffiene to ensure no caffiene-withdrawal headaches!

It is snowing out, but it's melting before it hits the ground, but we are supposed to get some HEAVY rains with STRONG winds tonight through tomorrow. 

This should pretty much gaurantee that our power won't go out :-)