The Scattered Gemini

Gold Medal...out of reach.

2010-02-28T20:03:00.003-05:00

Well, much like the USA Hockey and Curling Teams, my Knitting Olympics Gold Medal is just not meant to be. However, i do not feel like a failure at all. I have accomplished much. Of the 5 pairs of socks i set out to create, i managed to fully complete only one pair so far (the flame is still lit!).

Colorway - Connolly

Yes, yes...they are not finished in this photo but trust me, they are done. I've worn them, they've been washed today and are now drying so i can wear them again.

The idea of 5 pairs of socks may have seemed insane...ok, and it really might be, i'll give you that. In my mind, it seemed attainable because three of the pairs were going to be made of the same type of yarn as this pair. These are made with a non-traditional sock yarn, in fact, not a sock yarn at all. These socks were knit using Knit Picks - Shamrock which is a heavy worsted weight yarn. working this yarn into socks creates some of the thickest, squishiest, yummy warm socks many feet in my family have ever worn. Deb had a pair, they were accidentally shrunk by a friend helping with laundry and now my step-mom owns them. I've made my Dad a pair. And my Mom has a pair as well. Hmmm. Who else needs a pair? ME!!!! I need some!! So, that's where the whole idea of knitting the 5 pair came from. I figured i could knit 3 pairs of socks like this for myself and then two other pairs. Only one of the pairs is done and no other one begun. I will go forth and continue my task even if it is not finished by the deadline when the flame is extinguished this night. The remaining sets of socks will be in these colors...

Colorway - Beckett

Colorway - Graham

And, Deb will get a new pair too in this color...

Colorway - Quinn
I did however make significant process on another pair of socks...

Yarn is: Scout's Sway in Coloway - Cookie. I can't even remember when i bought this, it's been so long ago. I'd really have to go back and check my blog posts to figure it out. This pair of socks has one whole sock completed and i'm 2/3 done with the leg section and heading on to the heel flap. These are a belated birthday gift for someone. Shhh!! My intention was to have them finished on time, but we all see how that went. Ooops!

the other part of my Olympic Sock Knitting challenge was to learn a new technique in sock knitting. I purchased the book "Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles" - by Cat Bordhi. A few other knitters i know, swear by knitting on two crics and so i thought i would give it a try. Well, i've not made much progress really...

Yarn: Trekking XXL Colorway - 100. I know i bought this yarn at The Knitter's Nest back in Eldersburg, Maryland so it's been in the stash a while. Too bad the lighting in my picture is off. I'll get a better shot when they are done. What you see in the photo is how that pair still sits. One sock only that far along.

I was trying to get a few more artistic looking shots of this yarn because i love it so very much. Wait. Hold on. What's that in the background?

Why yes, it's my Official Yarn Sniffer/Sock Inspector...Scout.

And his sister was here...

...pay no attention to my socks and bloomers in the laundry basket. LOL! :)

I do have a bit more to say on the Olympics and the whole Knitting Olympics experience this time. I think i'll shock some people and save it for another post. Closing Ceremonies are on now and i'm going to go knit some more!

~Suz~

Knitting Olympics - Game ON!

2010-02-12T06:26:00.004-05:00

Oh yes my pretties it is THAT time again! I am so completely stoked that The Yarn Harlot has come to her senses and decided to host the Second Official Knitting Olympics! I love me some Ravelry and all but the Knitting Olympics, in my opinion, is completely the Harlot's Baby! It would not have been the same without her, however, i would have gone boldly forward and progressed as if she were hosting the event and have done it in her honour (<~~~spelled that way on purpose because she's Canadian, eh!). In case you missed the first Knitting Olympics...you can read the initial challenge set forth, here in 2006. This is, after all, only a Winter Event. Little did The Harlot realize how big, no...how HUGE the Event would become, when all was said and done, thousands of Knitter World-Wide had stepped up to the challenge.

This was me in 2006 taking on my first Lace Knitting project...ugh!
***WARNING: Crazed Knitter Alert!!!***

I figured i needed the mud mask!

I even had my own support crew cheering me on...

Deb and our niece Katie were in charge of supplying me with coffee. We were living in Maryland with Deb's family at the time and Katie was visiting for the weekend. Oh how times have changed...

Katie is now a married gal with a brand new baby boy. Austin was born on January 13th, 2010. considering that they live back in Maryland i bet she's sure glad her due date was before the HUGE ass Snowstorms!

Anywho, back to my first project...here's the outcome....

A closeup of "Branching Out" from Knitty.com. Mine was made double wide.

Blocking that sucker out on my bed. Notice the Knitting Inspector? Our dearly departed girl, Luna. Awwws, i sure miss her!

This year my Knitting Olympics Project is all about socks! Socks!! SOCKS!!!
I love to knit socks on dpn's (double pointed needles, for you Muggles), however, i am going to break down and learn a new technique. I have purchased a copy of Cat Bordhi's books "Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles" and also two sets of size 2 circular needles from Knit Picks collection. I am looking very forward to trying them out!

So, not only am i learning a new way of knitting socks, but i have come up with a number of socks to knit from Opening to Closing Ceremonies. In the Spirit of The Knitting Olympics Challenge, i have decided to push my limits and attempt to knit 5 pairs of socks in the 17 days. Yes, i said FIVE Pairs. That's 10 socks in 17 days!!

Stay tunes for further updates...

~Suz~ :)

Change & Growth

2010-01-14T14:06:00.003-05:00

Well, it's four months since my last post. Time sure flies when life's in turmoil!

Deb and i are still together!! :)

We were going to part and had plans in place to do so, but three weeks after my time in the hospital, Deb divulged to me that she had lied about not ever having loved me. She's loved me the whole time! She told me those things because she was at her wit's end with me, basically. I's come to a point in my life where after years of not taking proactive measures to better my physical health, it was taking a toll on me mentally as well and my depression was getting deeper and darker. I'd become very withdrawn and isolated myself from friends, family and even from Deb...spending most of my time in a separate room from her. Deb had been trying to live life for two people and it was just way too much for her. She figured that if she walked out of my life, i would be forced to make changes. Well, she ended up staying and i've made changes anyway and continue to do so. Day by day, little by little...i'm doing more to take care of myself.

I've been seeing a counselor and i find that that is helping a lot. I've also been making a daily effort to get more stuff done around our apartment and i find that getting the clutter out of the way helps to clear my mind and relax my nerves. I'm knitting more. Reading more. Spending less time playing computer games alone. I do spend time on Facebook responding to things people post and playing a few games on there. But i'm not spending the up to 18 hours a day playing Second Life like i had been. I'm working on my tone when i speak to Deb...something that has been an issue for years. I'm learning to figure out which battles to wage and which ones to let go. Some days are better than others, but i do feel that i am growing as a person and Deb and i have certainly grown closer together as a couple. I now have great vision that we will make it to our 10th anniversary of our meeting and starting our relationship...this coming May!

In other news, Deb's (our) niece Katie just gave birth yesterday to a little boy. Welcome to the world Austin Michael Harris! We also found out that Katie's sister, Jen, is expecting again and is due on Sept. 11th. Must be something in the Maryland water...?

In knitting news...i've been knitting. ROFL!! I've got a few WIP's going on...I decided to continue working on the Log Cabin Style blanket that i started a while back and gift it to my Mom's Bf for Christmas...well, it's still on needles but much larger than this pic...

...i'm focused on finishing this project before i go on to finish the afghan i'm making for Deb's Mom. Yeah. that one's late too. Shhh.

~Suz~

Shattered...

2009-09-16T18:21:00.003-04:00

On Sunday September 6th Deb told me that she no longer wants to be with me and that she's never been in love with me in all the nine years we've been together...my heart has been broken into more pieces than any one person could ever pick up in a lifetime. That evening i wanted to end my own life...and tried. A few friends showed up the next morning with my Mom and made me go to Dyer to admit myself into the Psych Ward for a few days, it was an interesting experience...

I'm so so sad i don't know if i could ever express my total grief to anyone. Just a couple months ago i had wondered to myself if i was really in love with Deb, if i even knew what that meant or felt like and now i know that i am completely in love with her...sad, isn't it?

Over the past few years, Deb has sat and watched my failure to obtain proper medical attention for myself and she's had to withstand bouts of me feeling like i no longer wanted to live due to the daily difficulties of my life. I am beginning to understand the tremendous and unfair stress that my depression and physical decline has put upon her. I can't change what i've done and clearly i'm the one who has to figure out how to live with it. Deb has taken on the role of main breadwinner, chief shopper, laundry & errand boi and pack mule. She's carried things for me, gotten things for me and taken me most places i needed to or wanted to go. I've been unfair to her. Oh sure, i cook 4-5 days a week sometimes 2-3 meals depending on how i feel...and i clean and take care of most of the dishes...but it's still been a huge burden on her, one i cannot take back. And if she's never loved me, it wouldn't really matter anyway, would it?

Tomorrow i will go and open a new, solo checking account here in Indiana with the help of my Mom and Dan and move my SSI direct deposit into that account. Then i will need to figure out how to remove myself from the checking account in Maryland without going there in person...and that account can remain Deb's. The next step after that will be to figure out some sort of low income or housing for disabled people for myself.

It's all very sad and scary for me and i really wish the meds that the Shrink put me on would begin to help the sadness ease. I think i liked the Lexapro i used to be on, better. At least i cried less. I'm beginning to annoy even myself. I won't see the Psychiatrist and the Counselor until the 22nd. that's 12 days from the time i was released from the hospital, it seems like forever.

In all of this, i still adore Deb as i always have. I wish her no ill will. I wish her nothing but happiness and hope that she will find someone in her life who is willing to love her as much as i have over all of these years, because she has not always been a picnic to be in love with either. I wish that she would give me some time at working on doing what i need to do to take care of myself and to make really sure that she wants to end our relationship. On Monday i asked her if she would please give our living arrangement to at least the end of the year instead of making such a HUGE, impulsive change. We have both made so many impulsive choices in the years we have been together and i just wish she would slow down and not be in such a big hurry. However, she sounds like she will probably remain in Maryland when she goes back at the end of October for her Drs Appointments and Court Hearing for her Workman's Comp. case with a former employer there. If she does go...i know i will never see her again in my whole life. That thought alone digs the knife into my heart even further...not only am i losing the greatest love of my life, but i am also losing my best friend and the person who makes me laugh like no one else.

I guess it's a good thing that Gay Marriage is not legal here in Indiana...our Seven Year Anniversary would be on October 19th...the vows i made that day in 2002, i fully intended to love until the day i died. Apparently, they are easily discarded by Deb...and that makes me angry rather than sad. Perhaps it's a good thing then we don't have to pay for Divorce Attorneys.

Barely Hanging On...

~Suz~

Ooops & Kick Ass!!

2009-07-22T19:33:00.004-04:00

Several weeks ago now, Deb called me from work and told me she had accumulated over 9,000 safety points at her job and she was thinking about using those points to get a new camping dining shelter for us. She showed me which one online and she decided to go ahead and ordered it. The box arrived to the office here at the apartments one day and they called to let us know. Of course they called on a Friday when she was working and since she also works Sat & Sun she had to wait until Monday to go pick up the box.

Monday came and went and a few days later i got a call from the office to remind us that we had a box to be picked up. WTF?! I thought Deb had told me she picked that box up?! I went off on her totally bitching about her not picking up the box and why did she lie to me about something so dumb, etc. Knowing she had picked up the box, she scratched her head and went to the office anyway. When she returned, she held in her hands an unexpected package addressed to ME.

Huh, what?!! Ooops, did i feel like an asshole! I apologized a couple of times and took a good look at the box...it was a surprise package from Steph back in Maryland. I rubbed my hands together like a small child anticipating Santa's Arrival and got a pair of scissors to cut the tape so i could have a peek inside. Ooooh!! Kick Ass! It was a box full of yarn, with a lovely little house warming note.

Steph, i can't thank you enough for your gift of yarny goodness to my stash. I was drooling so much over the Knit Picks Felici in Pebble that i sped right along on Deb's Horcrux socks in Knit Picks Memories - Yukon just so that i could cast on another pair of socks for her in the Felici!! The Felici is a dream to knit with, it's so soft and squishy and it glides along the needles very nicely. I cast on for that new sock last Tuesday, worked on it over the weekend during Camp Out and finished sock number one today. Sock number two will go onto the needles tonight, but i had to stop to make sure i finally got a post up here to thank Steph for sending some of her stash to my hot little hands!!

Pictures of box load of yarn and sock one to come...

~Suz~

We have Babies!!

2009-06-04T15:36:00.002-04:00

Ok. Wow. i made it back in less than a month. Well, just slightly less, but that's better than the last time, eh?

So, it's been a crazy few weeks with: Deb's health issues, travel postponed to MD, Deb turned 40 on May 25th, i turned 41 on May 28th and hey, we adopted two furdren just this past Monday. Whew! Busy, busy!

A young woman we know, Caitlin D., we will call her...posted a note on Facebook saying that a cat had delivered four kittens in her backyard 8 weeks prior and she was looking for a good home for them. I didn't say anything to Deb for a few days because i knew she would jump all over it, but then i couldn't stand it any more and was missing my little Luna kitty that we had to put to sleep in April 2008. As i suspected, Deb's reply was, "so when can we go get them?!" I sent a note back to Caitlin right away and we made the arrangements to go adopt this past Monday.

I decided on a mostly black female, she has about a nickel sized white spot on her neck. Deb decided on a peach/orange striped male. Brother and sister are doing well. As i write this they have just survived their first adventure into a mesh laundry bag full of clean clothes and are resting in their bed box...which, incidentally, they don't usually sleep in...they are more comfortable sleeping under one of the couches. Safer, i guess. Far away from Mama's grasp. Heehee!

They are still very scared and have only warmed up enough to get within maybe a foot of us and then they realize, "oh shit! too close" and scamper off. They are doing very well with the litter box and eating and drinking so i'm sure in time they will warm up to us and be just fine. they are quick little suckers so i only have a few pics and they are not so great...

Scout, the boy, hiding under the kitchen table inching his way toward the food bowl.

Cowering in the corner under the kitchen table, Scout protects his sister, Zuzu.

Zuzu and Scout playing together yesterday morning.

I'm sure i will be posting more pics soon.! Yay for Furdren!!

~Suz~

Yes, i am alive. Thank you for caring!

2009-05-07T01:00:00.002-04:00

Ok, so we won't even talk about how long it's been since i've posted something, shall we? And really the only reason i even thought to come and post something is because my one remaining reader...Wendy, was over on Monday and just had to toss another dig at me for not blogging. So, Hi WENDY!!

Let's see, since i posted last. Deb came back to Md and brought me to Indiana toward the end of October. And we lived with friends of ours until mid March. Now we have our own little apartment and i am LOVING it!!

Deb is flying back to MD on Mother's Day and will then be driving our stuff that's in storage at her Mom's back here to Indiana. Ton's of fun. I'm looking forward to having all of my dishes and things. It will be like an early Christmas unpacking because i forget what all we kept when we moved out there in 2005. Hmmm. Could be interesting!

In knitting news...there are socks on the needles and Wendy has me knitting this. But i won't say why. Shhhh.

Hope everyone is well!

~Suz~

Whoa!!

2008-09-21T10:31:00.003-04:00

:::walks in slowly:::

:::looks around:::

:::dusts off cobwebs:::

:::polishes writing desk:::

Oh my, was my last post REALLY in June?!! No wonder Wendy sent me an email asking if i am alive. Whoa!

Yep, i'm alive.

This past week my thoughts have been mostly with a friend down in the Houston area and with friends and family back home in NW Indiana, all of whom were dealing with Hurricane Ike or the remnants of. My Mom and DanTheMan were evacuated out of his house in Munster one week ago today. A couple days ago he sent an email with photos of his flooded house attached. I quite literally gasped when i opened the email and started looking at the pictures and then i started to cry, it was just completely overwhelming to see. I can only imagine how Dan, his girls and my Mom feel about the whole situation. Mom does not "live" there, but she's there enough and loves Dan enough to be as affected by it as anyone who "lives" there full time.

Here's a few of the pics from Dan's House:

During the earlier stages of the flooding last week. Deb and her coworkers at Superior were on call to be available in case any hospitals needed to be evacuated and they did get called to the hospital in Dyer, sat around for 3-4 hours and then it was determined that the water was no longer rising so they were sent back to base. Whew!

So, in the world of knitting....ehhh, not so much. A little bit here and there, still working on a pair of socks i started back in February. I know, i still sux!! I really do need ot ge tmoving on those and a few other pair i have on needles. And there's items to be made for the wee one who joined the family on June 25th. (I'll save that for another post, that will really cause all 3 of you to fall off your chairs!!)

Yeah, so i'm still sucked into my virtual Second Life world, playing that every day. I have a job in the game so i'm focused on that most of the time. The Music Club i work at is called "WanderLust world Music Club" and it finally opened on July 10th after i had been waiting since mid March for it to be built and opened. It's a very cool concept created by the Owners, Mellifera and Cael Szondi. The club is based on travel destinations and every 3-4 weeks we change destinations. so far the club has traveled to: Paris, Beijing for the Summer Olympics, Mars and we just landed back on Earth - traveling back in time and landing in Medieval England. Huzzah! LOL!!

Each time the destination changes, the decor inside the club changes, so it's always fresh and fun. Along with the decor change, the themes that we use to host contests also changes. In Second Life, clubs hold contests to attract guests and the contests are usually based on some form of clothing or costume that people can buy for their avatars. Yesterday our themes were things like best: Dragon, Bards & Rogues, Lords & Ladies and Pixies, Fairies & Elves. I actually purchased a May Pole to be used in a furture event...perhaps for a Medieval feast?

Here are a couple of pics of my in game persona, "Mauren Mureaux"...

Well, that is all for today!!

~Suz~

What The Fuck?

2008-06-19T16:56:00.004-04:00

Have you seen this??

For the adventurous knitter, there are instructions here...

That is all...

~Suz~

Sneaks in...

2008-06-16T11:53:00.004-04:00

Oh myyyy Gawd....is it really a blog post from Suz?? :::faints:::

I'll wait, while you all pick yourselves up off of the floor. Heehee!!

Yes, it is me. I'm really writing this.

Ok, so the last post was April 6th after we had to put our poor, sweet kitty girl to sleep. Awwws, i miss her so much.

Since then, i'm still addicted to Second life...in fact, Scarlett missed me so much, she showed up in Second Life the other day!! Woot!!! LOL!! So, i'm trying to help her out with some freebie clothes and hair and eventually i'll show her some of my favorite spots in world. so far, she's only seen my house, a bit of that neighborhood and the new club i will be managing in a week or two.

Knitting wise, i'm a total slacker. I've been knitting on the same sock since February and it really should have only taken me about 2 days per sock as it is being knit with Knit Picks - Shamrock, which should be knit on size 7-9 needles, but i'm using a 6 to make a thicker sock. Even though the socks are for a size 14 foot...they still should have taken no more than 3 days per sock. Ya know, but here it is June and i am still working on finishing the toe on sock #1. Oh well, guess i'll be ahead of the game for holiday gift giving. LOL!!

In the world of personal events..well, not my event really, but more Deb's...

Deb left Maryland on May 26th (two days before my 40th birthday!!)..and flew to Chicago Midway, was picked up at the airport by our friend TD and driven to Northwest Indiana where i am originally from....and she's been there ever since. I miss her TONS!!!

Ok, ok...i'll tell you why she's there, sheesh....calm down!! TD and his wife, Revia both work for an Ambulance Company and they had been trying to get me and deb to move back and for Deb to apply to be an EMT with that company. Well, after continued badgering, even though we did not have the money saved for a full move, Deb went and applied....and was hired. She began working for the company on June 2nd. So far, it sounds like she really likes it and that she feels like she has finally found what she wants to be when she grows up. Whew!! I'm so glad, cuz that means that the 6 months of her schooling was worth her time!! Woot!!

It sucks being apart, i won't lie. But this was the only way we could figure out to do this. Deb is staying with TD & Revia and i am still here in MD with Deb's parents. Deb is working and i should really start to pack all of her clothes and stuff and get this room all cleaned up...but i digress. We'll do our best to save money while still paying our bills here and when we have enough saved up for the moving truck, gas & expenses and two months rent...Deb will fly back and we will make the full move together. Could be 2 months, could be 6...we have no clue.

So, that's what's been going on.

What's going on out there?? Hmmm, guess i'd better get around and do some reading, eh??

~Suz~

Sweet Dreams, Luna

2008-04-06T00:56:00.004-04:00

Sleep well, loving and patient soul...you were loved with all we had to give and you will be missed, always...you gave us joy and you gave us love, thank you for finding us.

I'll miss the way you always helped Mama with her knitting...and the way you inspected the final outcome of each project.

sI'll missed the pissed off looks and scratched from giving you a bath and making you smell like baby powder for a day.

I'll miss the way you snuggled up on Mama's lap and put your paw gently on my hand to say, "no more knitting right now Mama, it's nap time with the kitty".

And more than anything else, i will miss you all curled up on my legs while i was watching tv, or knitting, or playing Second Life...and i will miss having you sleep on my chest, warmest girl area ;) or on my hip....while i slept.

Sleep well, my little "lap whore" kitty.

Bye, bye Luna. :(...................................................

Deb and i are very sad, we had to put our sweet Luna kitty to sleep tonight around 12:10am. We had noticed over the past several weeks that she was losing weight and tonight she had a few moments where she sort of fell over. We were scared enough that something was terribly wrong and so we took her in to the ER Vet. Dr. Shawn found right away that she was constipated and needed to be flushed out, but knew that there had to be some underlying cause. We left her in his wonderful care while he ran tests and we came home. A couple hours later we were called with the news that she did not have feline leukemia, but that she had kidney disease. Treatment would have run around $700 and then that was no guarantee of how long she would live...2 days, 2 months, years? We can not afford that kind of money as many of y0u know. As it was, the course of action we took, in testing and putting her to sleep cost us almost $400. We feel that we made the best decision for the well being and mercy of our sweet little lover girl. She came to us one night and has left us in the night as well...

We sang to her a little during our goodbye, it may seem so silly, but it made perfect sense to us...

..."We all come from the Goddess, and to her we shall return;
like a drop of rain flowing to the ocean...

~Suz~

What's That Noise?!!!!

2008-02-06T14:09:00.000-05:00

Oh, that?

That was my computer crashing last week. Yup. Died. Dead. No Mas.

Huh?!! WTF?!!!!!!!!!

We just bought this thing in August!!

Thank goodness for the warranty!

The computer left home via Fed Ex on Friday at 2pm. It apparently arrived in California sometime bright and early Monday morning. And today is what day? Oh, yeah...it's only freaking Wednesday and the computer was at the door in the arms of my new favorite Fed Ex employee, by 11am today!!!!

Holy Wow!!!

Now that's some service. Thanks Fed Ex, Thanks HP....you guys rock!

Now i'll be a while catching up with emails and i don't even want to go and look to see how chatty all of you bloggers have been...:::cries:::. LOL!! I'll get caught up eventually!!

While the PC was gone, i finished my first toe ups...for Deb...Socks That Rock in Smokey Topaz. I'll have to get the Kodak Software loaded back on and get a pick of those. I also started a sweater for Darvik...scraped the blanket idea because it wasn't working out!

Hugs to all! :)

~Suz~

MIA

2008-01-18T01:36:00.000-05:00

Anyone missing me? Just wondering.

I've been sucked into Second Life, it's addicting. It's like the SIMS on steroids, played online. It's FREE...unless you want to own land and build your own house.

Tonight, i actually attended a UU Church service online in the Second Life world...it was very cool. A gal from Ravelry is building the " Purl Teahouse" on Second Life for those of us who play and are on Ravelry, to hang out and knit. Yes, our little sim characters can buy knitting needles and actually look like they are knitting. It's too wild!!

Anyway, that's where i've been for the past week. If you are gaming inclined and connect in, i'm "Mauren Mureaux" on Second Life. ;)

~Suz~

Ice Queen

2008-01-07T00:14:00.000-05:00

Mom's Christmas package finally made its way to Indiana and the gifts have been opened. I can finally blog about the one hand knit item that made it to her.

I decided to make Romi's Ice Queen, from the knitty.com Winter edition, for my Mom. I did not use beads, however. I followed the pattern as it was written and thought that i had properly checked my gauge. I took the finished product over to the neighbor's house to have Ann try it on for a few pics, and we all agreed that it needed to be longer. Hmmm. Oh crap! I sat there and started trying to find the end that was woven in and in the process, found a dropped stitch about 10-12 rows back. ARGHGhghghghghghghghhhh!! I tried to take it back to that row and figure out where i was in the pattern, but that didn't work. The whole item was frogged and reknit for a second time. I ended up adding five extra 4 row repeats to add length and then it was sent along to Mom.

I forgot to take pictures the second time around, so these pics are actually from the first time knit.

Mom seemed to like it. I hope she is able to get some use out of it.

The pattern is actually a very easy knit and it goes very fast. The yarn i used was a lovely "Dove Gray", lace weight from Dave's Cabin Cove Mercantile, it was yummy to work with.

~Suz~

2007 in Review

2008-01-01T23:23:00.000-05:00

I've seen a lot of other bloggers looking back over what they've created in the past year and thought it was a good idea. Here's a look at all of the items i made in 2007.

I already have plans for many projects in 2008. I'm hoping that i can be more diligent and more creative.

My major accomplishment for 2007? Knitting Deb's vest, my first adult sized garment.

~Suz~

Holiday Inn

2007-12-27T19:18:00.000-05:00

Not the hotel, the movie. That's what's loaded into "Deb's" new DVD player that she got from her Mom and Dad for Christmas. Deb's been so busy with work and school, that i finally broke down and hooked it up myself, just a bit ago. It seems like i did it right, i have the splash screen for the movie. I borrowed the movie from Netflix because i never manage to find it on TV around this time of the year and it's my favorite holiday film. With nearly all of the TV shows i normally watch in reruns due to the writers strike and the holiday season, i figured that tonight would be a great night for DVDs and knitting.

If you didn't get your holiday greeting card from us this year, quit waiting by the mailbox, we were lame and didn't send any out. :( We vow to do better next year. We greatly enjoyed all of the holiday cards and letters that we received.

I think it's fair to say that we had a nice Christmas over here this year. Of course it's not the same as being in Indiana with my family and our friends, but it wasn't as bad as i remember last year being...oh, wait...we went home last year. LOL! I mean, the year before! We managed to play some Bunco (the wrong way) and some Yahtzee after dinner, so that was fun!

I received some really nice gifts and have yet to take any pictures of them: Cash from Dad & Lynn, a really cool ice cream maker for when we go camping, some special soap and home made spritz Christmas tree cookies - from Mom, an alarm clock/ipod dock from Deb...along with all of the yummy goodies in my stocking, a really cute snowman throw blanket, giant coffee mug, a basket (that the mug fits into) with the snowman on the lid and a Housewarmer Yankee Candle to round out my gifts from Deb's Folks (remember, the books a post or so ago?), Jenny/Katie & Chris (Deb's nieces and nephew) gave me a Pattern a Day Knitting Calender...and Deb also got me the most adorable pillow with sheep on it. Apparently she found it at Target and the sheep are plaid. Heehee! Too cute!!

I'll get some pics tomorrow.

How was your Christmas? I hope it was a good one!!

~Suz~

Yule and a Birthday too!

2007-12-21T01:21:00.000-05:00

Today is a VERY special day, not only is it Winter Solstice, but it is also the birthday of someone very dear to my heart.

Today is my Mom's 60th Birthday! Yep, she's a Solstice baby.

Mom, i wish we could be with you on this milestone birthday. You know our hearts are with you wherever you are and whatever you are doing. Have some cake for us. Try not to get into too much trouble, because you know that we do NOT have any bail money, MmmmK? Much love.

Happy Birthday!!!

Merry Yule to those who celebrate.

~Suz~

Early Christmas Book Review

2007-12-18T12:05:00.000-05:00

Christmas gifting has already started around here. Two weeks ago i received these gifts from Deb's Mom...

Ok, i knew i was getting them since i chose them from a list, but it's still fun!

I've started reading the book by Alan Alda and it's such a joy. Am i the only one who is so smitten with his "Hawkeye" persona? I love the pictures of him on the covers, i think he's so handsome...even now.

I have read some unfavorable reviews of Fiona Ellis' new book, "Inspired Fair Isle Knits", but i really like this book. I've already learned some things from reading the intro section. As a newer knitter who's only done one project that involved stranded color work, i had the worst time trying to find clear instructions on how to carry the yarn on the back of the work. This is the book i needed! I also like how the patterns are inspired and arranged by the elements of water, air, fire and earth. The color choices used in many of the pattern are very enjoyable and there are quite a few things that i would knit from this book. Perhaps if Fair Isle and stranded color work is old hat to you, this book may not be your bag?

"The Knitter's Book of Yarn", oh my goodness. There's just so much information...it's information overload. It is a MUST have! I've only skimmed around and already i've learned what modal and viscose are. LOL! I can already tell that this book will become an invaluable tool. Along with all of the information about yarn, the book also contains 40 patterns. Some of them are a bit hum drum, but others are really cool. There are several things that i would have already cast on, had i not still been knitting on Christmas gifts.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez' "Love in the Time of Cholera" will just have to wait. Sigh.

~Suz~

Pass the Rum

2007-12-16T21:29:00.000-05:00

How's your holiday crafting going? Is it moving along? Do you think you will finish on time, or will you be knitting until the final minutes before a family gathering? Will you get some sleep on Christmas Eve or will you be binding off as the sun comes up on Christmas Day?

Me?

I'm watching the Survivor Finale and doing a picot bind off on 108 stitches...in lace. Pass the rum.

eta: Make it a double. I'm now doing a picot bind off on the other edge.

~Suz~

Great Gift Idea

2007-12-13T21:02:00.000-05:00

Seariously, go check out Scarlett's blog post today, she's got a great gift idea for those on a budget.

Go Here ~~~~~~> As I Knit, So Shall I Rip

:D

And here's a favorite of mine...

~Suz~

Eh?

2007-12-07T23:01:00.000-05:00

Yea, i'm HOT...i look like Richard Gere.

Oh yeah...Williamsburg

2007-11-30T14:43:00.000-05:00

Yeah, so...i never finished blogging about our trip to Williamsburg. That was only a month ago. Eeep!

So, ok...Dan had invited us to join him and Mom and we were to surprise her. In the few weeks leading up to the event, my Mom kept trying to figure out ways that they would be able to stop and visit us or meet up with us for a visit somewhere. LOL She called from work one day and asked for the address here so she could Google where we live. On the Friday that we were all due to check in, Mom called from the road...the conversation went something like this...

Mom: Hi honey, what are you up to?

Me: Not much. (While i was probably packing my bag with clothes.)

Mom: Well, we'll be on 70 heading into Frederick soon, how far is that from you?

Me: Well, it's about 45 minutes away or so...(and then i add in really quickly), but Deb's working. (I failed to tell her that Deb was due to get off of work at 1pm, this call was going on around 10am or maybe 11. LOL)

After that, i put her off by suggesting that we arrange to meet when they are on their way home the following week. Whew, she went for that! They went on their way.

Deb arrived home around 1:20pm. We loaded stuff into the van and then proceeded to do our last minute errands before leaving town...pick up pay check, go to bank, get gas into the van, get van washed. We finally left town around 4pm. Sigh.

Dan called as they were checking in, he made Mom wait in the car. He asked where we were and how long we thought it would take us to get there. We were in the traffic going around Baltimore. We suggested they go to dinner and get groceries...and take their time.

We continued on our way. We took 95 to something and then to 301 or 310 and then to 17 and then 33 and then 64....blah, blah, blah. We were crossing over the Potomac just as the sun was setting and the color of the sky was just amazing. We made a navigational error on 33. We went East when we should have gone West. We had just turned around and started heading back to correct our error, and the phone rang again with Dan asking us how much longer we would be? It was around 9pm and my Mom had already unpacked Dan's stuff into our room and our bathroom and she had gotten ready for bed and was hinting at how tired she was. LOL! We told him we'd be another 20-30 minutes.

When we arrived, we knocked on the door, Dan answered and then tried to send my Mom to the door. We heard her say, "In my pajamas?!" And he said, "Yeah, i ordered something to be delivered to you and they're four fucking hours late!" ROFLMAO!! So, she came to the door and we yelled, "Surprise!" Too funny! We visited for a while and then i think we were all tucked ito our beds by midnight or a bit after.

Day one in Williamsburg, we did some browsing around. I was set on visiting a knitting shop that Robin had recommended, Knitting Sisters.
I'd been planning the visit for several weeks and had subscribed to their newsletter to get a feel for what was going on in the shop. I already knew that they sold Robin's hand made soaps, so of course that would be one item in my bag! In reading the newsletter, i had learned that they had Jamieson's 2 ply on sale...so i planned to purchase some with the intention of eventually using it to knit some Latvian Mittens.

I ended up buying one of the Knitting Sister tote bags, some black Plymouth Encore for a kitty hat i still need to knit for a friend, some wool wash, a bar of soap for me, Deb and Dan (those sneaks!), and balls of Jamieson's 2 ply. They must've been selling the heck out of the yarn, i had trouble finding colors, but i was still happy with my purchases.

Knitting Sisters is a very warm and friendly shop. I would certainly recommend visiting them if you're ever in the area. There's even a very inviting spot to sit and knit a while, or to wait for someone who might by petting yarn for a while. :)

After Knitting Sisters, we headed to Williamsburg Pottery. The place was HUGE so i waited in the car, i didn't think i could handle all of the walking. Deb only bought some coffee while she was in there and i don't think Mom and Dan bought anything. They described the place as a giant, international bazaar filled with everything from specialty foods to silk flowers...oh, and pottery. I'm glad i stayed in the car, they said it was a mad house.

Our next stop was an amazingly large Yankee Candle store...almost as wonderful as the flagship store in South Deerfield, MA. I have no idea how much time we spent in there, it was more than an hour for sure. Deb ended up buying a dozen tarts in various scents and at the checkout counter she found one of our favorite scents that had been brought back for a short time..."Fireside". Mmmmm.

Our next stop wasn't really a stop, it was more of a drive thru. We drove all around inside the Outlet stores so Mom and Dan could see what was there and plan their shopping for later in the week. When that was done, we headed for a BBQ place that had been recommended to us by some locals, we got our food and took it back to the condo. It was only so-so.

The next day was Sunday and we headed to Colonial Williamsburg...

It was much more walking than i could ever do, so most of these pictures were taken by Deb and i really am not sure what the content is. I'm hoping that Deb will have the time eventually to go into my Flickr account and correctly title and comment on her photos.

Here's the favorite shot that i did take...

Deb in the new hat she bought at some General Store type place not in the Colonial area.

An okay shot that she took of me while i was keeping a bench warm, waiting for her.

And, because we are lame...the only picture we took of Mom and Dan together.

The next day was Monday and we stayed at the condo...Deb studying and me knitting. Mom and Dan went and did their own thing and they returned back to a home made taco dinner later that evening.

The next day, we headed for home so that Deb could make it to her EMT class that evening.

Whew. Only a month late, but that wraps up our trip to Williamsburg.

~Suz~

Hey, Sock Knitters

2007-11-26T20:14:00.000-05:00

What would you charge for hand knit socks?

Let's say that your yarn would cost $3.79/ball. Each ball is 231 yards/50 grams.

Ok. In my mind...

For a woman's medium pair of socks, i would need two balls of yarn putting the cost of supplies at $7.58+tax. Let's call it $8.00. I've not even cast on one single stitch and already i would need to charge a customer $8.

Now, how in the world do i go about calculating my time involved and what i would want to be paid for it? Truth be told, i've never kept an actual accounting of how much time it really takes me to knit a pair of socks...hour by hour. Have you? Let's skip that for now, shall we?

How much is minimum wage these days? $6.15 here in Maryland?? Let's call it $6 so that we don't have to fiddle with the change. If there was some small chance that i could whip out a pair of socks in 8 hours, i would need to charge $48 + supplies of $8 for a total of $56 for one pair of socks. However, i don't knit that quickly, i'm sure. Besides, isn't knitting a skill? Shouldn't i be paid the same fair wage as a skilled laborer rather than just minimum wage? Yeah, that's what i think.

See? Naming a price on a hand knit item is a tricky business. Recently my Mom tried to gain a knitting order for me. A lady she knows was interested in 10 pairs of hand knit socks. So i struggled with all of these same questions. i came up with what i thought was a fair price of $25 for adult's sizes and $15 for children's sizes. Even at that price, i would not even be earning $2 per hour for my skill. The supplies alone would cost me $7.58+tax+shipping. So my profit would have been about $16, less if the pair was a larger pair and required and additional ball of yarn.

Needless to say, the potential customer, although she admires hand knit items and thinks that i do lovely work...did not think that the work was worth $25 per pair.

Oh well, more time for me to knit Christmas gifts for people who might appreciate them. ;)

~Suz~

Thankful Musings

2007-11-23T14:58:00.000-05:00

This one may be a bit long, run to the loo and grab a cuppa, i'll wait...

Ready?

So, i've been thinking about my relative lack of real life friends. When i was a kid and in school i always made great efforts to build friendships. I made calls, set up gatherings, picked people up, planned parties, etc. As the years went on after high school and lives grew busier, it became more and more work to keep friendships up or even to make new ones. Eventually it became clear that i was the one doing most of the work...i was making the calls and the plans. I'm sure some of you out there can relate. Eventually i came to the point where i thought, "why am i bothering?". Did i really enjoy the company of the people i was trying to spend time with? Do i learn anything from that person? Do they learn anything from me? Is the relationship a good give and take?

Through the years, my friendships have dwindled to just about nil. At this point in my life, i have a wonderful handful of friends back in NW Indiana, i have the few fun knitting gals in my knitting group and i have a small circle of Internet Friends i've come to know and care about...even though i've never met them in person. I know that last bit may seem odd to some, but there's an unmistakable bond that ties some Internet friends. We may not be able to explain it, it just is. We're bonded by common interests and shared experiences. That's how it is with several people who are my online, blogging, knitting, Internet friends. In my mind and heart, i consider them to be friends just like my real life friends. That's just how i'm made.

I recently blogged about the wonderful yarns that JP gifted me with. (He's not blogging a lot right now because he's working hard and due to graduate from the University of Alabama in about 21 days!) Last year i blogged about how Dave gifted me with his spare swift and some books from my Amazon wish list. I've also blogged about the wonderful items that Erin sent me after i did some test knitting for her. I also received some wonderful yarn from Robin M, and from Cookie too . In addition to these things, i've received extra special goodies from some of the contests i've entered and won. I've won contests offered by Michelle (who decided to quit blogging), Lesa, Becky, Robin and Erin (oops, i never blogged about that prize!).

Well, Dave just struck again. He's sneaky, that one! Look what he sent to me.

I am extra giddy over these gifts. It just so happens that i LOVE Moose. I adore Dave's shop logo. And i had recently decided to start collecting totes from shops i buy from and visit. Dave, i cannot thank you enough! You are so incredibly generous and thoughtful, i'm very lucky to count you among the Internet friends i've made. One of these days i'll have Deb cart my arse up to Boston so we can hang out, talk fiber, and share a good meal. I can't wait.

In writing this post, it's dawned on me that there have been two other people who have gifted me with items and being the slacker that i am i think i have failed to blog about and thank one of them and KNOW i have overlooked the other! Gasp! I suck!

Long ago, when we still lived back in Indiana, Kat once gifted me with a box of yarns she was not using. Those yarns were eventually used in various projects and put to great use! Thanks Kat! You know i love you. ;)

And then there's Mia. Mia is one of a kind. Mia has a HUGE sock yarn addiction and she's a fantastic stash enabler. LOL I actually know Mia in person, she's one of the wonderful gals in our knitting group that tries to meet twice a month. There have been several times when Mia has brought wonderful gifties to me. She once brought a giant bag of her leftover yarns...i've used some, shared some and still have a lot left. She's gifted me with this, and some lace weights that i've yet to photograph. Mia has also given me some fun knitting magazines and an adorable frog that she sewed...oh yes, she sews and quilts too. I don't think she sleeps! I really need to take more photos of all of those things. Mia, thank you so much for sharing your yarn addiction and your talents. I appreciate you very much.

See? I told you this would be a long one.

In closing, i'd like to say thank you very much to all of the friends i've made through blogging and knitting. The knitting community may not be understood by all, but those of us involved, know that it's truly a wonderful place. I am very fortunate to have met some wonderful Internet friends and i plan to continue growing those friendships through our blogs, emails and hopefully a visit or two some day. You all keep me sane and mean the world to me.

~Suz~

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T14:31:00.000-05:00

glitter-graphics.com

Oooh Look, FO's

2007-11-18T22:22:00.000-05:00

Yep, you read that correctly, some finished objects.

Socks for me...

The yarn is some of the Gedifra Fashion Trend Sportivo that i got from the discontinued section at Webs a while ago. I also finished the first pair of these, but haven't taken a pic with both socks in it yet, Here's a reminder of that colorway...

Also finished, the Dream in Colors - Tulip, baby sweater. Isn't it adorable? I loved knitting it. The yarn is oh so very yummy and i really wish i could buy some more of it! Thankfully i bought the yarn for this sweater in a kit, which made it affordable for me. I hope the baby it's been made for, feels warm and cozy in it.

Notice how Luna looks a little pissed? There's a whole series of pics for the sweater, maybe 5 or 6 shots...where the cat is looking and being nosy and then she just walked right across the sweater and laid on my belly between my chest and the laptop. Hmmm. think she's trying to tell me something?

I've cast on a new baby blanket and am working away on that now.

Happy Knitting!

~Suz~

Long Overdue Thanks

2007-11-16T14:35:00.000-05:00

This post is long overdue...

A few weeks ago i was being a bit nosy and browsing around on Ravelry. I decided to peek inside the yarn stash collections of all of my friends. It's fun to see who favors what type of fiber...who likes wool, who likes alpaca, who's hoarding silk blends? This also gives me the opportunity to learn about yarns that i've yet to work with or have never heard of. The gist is that it's big time fun for yarn-a-holics, ok?

So, there i was browsing away, when what do i see in JP's stash (JP on Ravelry)...one of my favorite, discontinued Knit Picks yarns. Parade. By the time i got into knitting and started making purchases from Knit Picks, i only had enough time to purchase two balls of Parade in the "forest" colorway. My second favorite socks are made with this yarn. I was so excited about seeing this yarn in JP's stash and i sent him a note about it telling him that i loved the yarn and couldn't wait to see what he would make from the yarn. JP sent me a note back asking me if i wanted the yarn?!! Oh. My. Yes! I quickly emailed him back and asked him how much he would charge for the yarn and offered to buy it and pay for the shipping too. Well, doggon if JP didn't reply with only the request of my address!!

Within only a few days i received a package from "down South". Ya know, that package was larger than it should have been for 4 balls of yarn. Hmmm. And heavier too. Double Hmmm.

When i finally got through JP's master taping job, my jaw fell open! I thought he only had 2 balls of each of the Knit Picks - Parade colorways. I was wrong...

He sent me four balls of the plum...

and three balls of the blue...

BUT, that wasn't all!!! In a very unexpected turn of events, he also sent...
three balls of Regia Crazy Colors

AND

Two balls of Regia Stretch!

Holy Wow! JP, i cannot thank you enough! You really surprised the heck out of me. For a girl on a budget, this stash enhancement was more than welcome!

Shortly after JP's package arrived, we took a trip to Williamsburg. While we were in Williamsburg, i finished the first of a pair of the "Plum" socks. Like a dope, i had not packed another ball of the yarn, so i was unable to start the second sock. Oooops!

Here's my view from the couch in Williamsburg...

We stayed at Powhatan Plantation which is now acres of Townhouses that are part of a timeshare. My Mom's bf, DanTheMan, had gotten a really great deal on a week's stay and invited me and Deb to join them for a few days. I had not blogged about it before leaving on the trip because Dan had invited us as a surprise for my Mom. It was fun surprising her, even if we did get there a bit late...more on that in the next post.

A few more pics...The view out the patio doors early in the morning.

Geese, just after their morning landing...

A great shot of a Great Blue Heron. Deb took this pic after she woke up.

EDIT: I was calling this a loon, but Kat emailed to let me know the true identity of this fine feathered creature. Thanks Kat!!

~Suz~

Huh?

2007-11-14T16:44:00.000-05:00

Ahem.

Deb, is currently in the kitchen making home made grape jam/jelly/preserves from the grapes off of the grapevine out in the back yard.

That is all.

~Suz~

Because Scarlett made me do it...

2007-11-12T18:43:00.000-05:00

Five Things

Found in my Room :

my stash
bright red flannel sheets
a red bingo dauber
a djembe and a doumbek
our gifted, lucky horseshoe over the door

I have always wanted to:

visit Poland (but i don't fly)
Meet James Taylor
get a tattoo
be a photographer
write good poetry

Found in my Bag :

keys with attached green leather wallet keychain with DePaul crest on it
a barrette
the current sock project
Tide "to go" stick
"Extra" gum in some watermelon flavor

Found in my Wallet :

picture of Deb from Halloween 2000
Picture of Conner & Julia (my twin niece and nephew)
reminder card for what type of ink my printer takes
my DePaul student ID from 1986/87 and 1995/97
credentials for my handicapped parking prmit

I am currently into :

playing on Pogo
Ravelry, especially the Ravelry Games Forum
Court TV
Forever Knight on DVD from Netflix
knitting

Candidates to tag :

The Pagan Hooker

Molly Knits Sweaters

Kat at Bald Sheep

Adventures in Kittyville

2007-10-26T22:31:00.000-04:00

It's a cold, dark, rainy night. The house is mostly quiet. I enjoy that kind of a thing. I've finished a sock, and started the second one of the pair. (Not the toe-ups) I've been haunting Ravelry off and on. Earlier in the evening I watched two episodes of "Moonlight" so that i could catch up for this week's episode. I had checked out that new "Women's Murder Club" or whatever it is called on CBS two weeks ago and then last week i was in the ER with Deb. I decided against the Chick Crime Drama and have opted to stick with the Vampire series instead. As it sit here typing, i've realized that even Numbers has grown old on me. I'm typing through it and not paying very close attention.

If you've been reading along or know us at all, you know that our cat, Luna, is not a very high energy cat. She doesn't play. She's a total lap whore and indoor cat. There's really not too much exciting going on in her life, much like mine. However, the past few weeks, she's had three interesting adventures...

I think it was around the beginning of September, we had a new house member move in. While Deb and i were in Indiana in July, "Uncle Fred's" wife passed away. She had been ill for quite some time so it was not a sudden thing. "Uncle Fred", really is not an uncle to Deb nor to anyone else who lives here. He's a family friend...maybe some of you have people in your lives like that also? Anyway, when Uncle Fred moved in, he took over Deb's Mom & Dad's room and they moved into a finished room in the basement. Uncle Fred likes cats ok, but he doesn't want Luna in his room. So, he keeps his door closed. No biggie. Well, Fred went to visit other family members for a few weeks and while he was gone, other family members would go into his room to use the bathroom. Sometimes they might forget to close the door. You can see what's coming, right? Yep, Luna got locked in there. For six hours. Ooops. It happened during the week that we were pet sitting for "Cousin Lug Nut"...Deb's four-legged nephew. (He's cousin to our furdren, see?) Luna's brother is not allowed in the house...he stays in the garage or the yard...not our choice. :( When "Cousin Lug Nut" (who's real name is Bo) is here, he's allowed in the house and he sleeps in our room. Luna is not at all thrilled by this and the big, huge, solid, black lab that Bo is...he's such a wusser and stays away from whatever side of the room the cat is on. Apparently when Luna found Uncle Fred's room opened, she went in there to get away from Bo and someone came along and closed the door. I didn't think anything of it when i heard scraping noises because i just thought it was Bo's nails on the wood floors. Nope, it was poor Luna with her little paw sticking out from under the bedroom door, trying to claw her way out. Poor kitty!

Last week, Deb's Mom (Grandmom to our furdren) came home from work one night around 1:30am and she had boxes of bread to bring in from the "Bread Lady" (we get free bread each week). Grandmom was going in and out of the door and Luna must've slipped out into the night during one of her trips in. When Luna hadn't been on my lap for a while, i just assumed that she went downstairs to pester Grandmom for some extra food. Deb's Mom feeds the cat her bit of wet food every day, so as soon as Grandmom comes in the door, the cat starts following her around and meowing. So, it's easy for me to assume that that is where the cat went off to. I didn't think much of it and fell asleep. When Deb got up for work around 4:30am and the cat was still not around i just figured she was sleeping with Grandmom or in the living room curled up on the couch. No biggie. Deb left for work, i slept a few more hours, then i got online and whatever. Still no Luna. Deb came home from work around 1pm and her Mom was in the kitchen too and so i went out there. I peeked into the living room as i went out. No cat. So i asked them if they had seen her. No one had. Eeeeeeek!!! Helen went on to tells us about bringing the bread in and then she went out the front door and Deb out the back door and they started searching. The cat had apparently been outside now for around twelve hours! Deb's Mom found the cat hunkered down under a bush on the side of the house and yelled for Deb to come get her because she would not go to Deb's Mom. Whew. Kitty rescued! We're so very lucky that she was okay. We live on a corner and the street in front is very busy.

Adventure number three, i really wish i had thought to get the camera and photograph the outcome, but i missed my opportunity. Gah!

When we first moved here, we left the cat here and left a day later for a week long trip to Missouri to witness Deb's niece graduating from MP Training at Fort Leonard Wood. Aunt Kathy came and checked on the cat and made sure she had food and water. During that time, the only person in the house was Uncle George. A real uncle, a real asshole. He's a grouchy, nasty, complainer of a man who does completely nothing to help out around the house. Deb's Mom (his sister) completely caters to him and coddles him. It's very strange. Anyway, it took us forever to find the cat when we got back, she was hidden deeply in the basement far away from the nasty man. We think he must've kicked her or been mean to her while we were gone. Even now, two years later, if he comes anywhere near her...she will run back into our room or far away from him. If she's laying on my lap in our room and he comes out of his room and passes in the hallway...the cat will slink down deeper into my lap. The other night we were eating dinner out in the kitchen and Uncle Asshole was out there too. Deb finished and got up from the table to go outside to fill her lungs with evil...and i noticed the cat coming across the kitchen floor from the basement stairs. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw UA and immediately turned and ran back downstairs. I tried calling her so that she knew i was out there too, but she didn't seem to care. I tried going to the stairs when i was done and calling her, but she would not come. Later on, Deb left for class around 6:30pm and still no cat. I guess she was waiting good and long to make sure that UA had gone to his room. Hours passed. When the cat finally came in, she hopped up onto the bed and crawled into my lap and when i looked past the laptop at her i started laughing. She had this...oh, about eight inch long, piece of cobweb hanging off of her head and one ear. Ewwww. She has spots of cobweb on her face and some on her tail. LOL! Must've been a rough hunt down in the basement. Sheesh! I cleaned her up and she settled down for a nap.

I'm thinking the cat might need a "Lo-Jack" installed on her collar or some kind of GPS system? She's getting into all sorts of trouble lately.

I'm off to knit.

~Suz~

Toe Up

2007-10-23T10:17:00.000-04:00

Since i finally finished Deb's vest, she's...ahem, allowed me to cast on her "Socks That Rock" yarn that she stood in a crazy insane line for at Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival back in May. Well, ok...i asked her to stand in the line and so Amanda joined her so she wouldn't be alone, while Carla and i sat and knit on a bench. That silly Amanda, she bought three hanks of STR at the time when she didn't even know how to knit socks yet. LOL! But i digress...

So, i cast on for Deb's new socks. Prior to casting on i asked her if she wanted just plain socks or if she wanted to look at patterns? She said plain was fine. So i had knit 20 rounds of a cuff and 6 rounds of the leg when i let her get on Ravelry and she started looking at patterns. Bad move! She found a pattern she wanted me to try. I made her frog her own darn sock. LOL!

She decided on "Widdershins" from Knitty.com. I think she just likes the name?!

Yeah well, she's forcing me to bite the bullet and learn how to knit "Toe Up". I don't mind telling you that it took me three or four tries to get started...and my increases on the toe looks a little wonky, i think...but i'm giving it a whirl. I've only gotten the toe increases and maybe an inch of the foot done. I'll work on more of it today. And maybe take a pic or two.

That's what's going on here.

~Suz~

And...

2007-10-20T10:54:00.000-04:00

Where was i? Oh yes, Deb...

I swear she is the most danger prone person i have ever known. I'm thinking about wrapping her in bubble wrap soon!

Deb is ok, thank the Goddess! Here's what happened...

She was working at Papa John's and was about to leave out the door on a delivery. She checked the ticket to make sure she didn't need any drinks or anything and realized that she needed extra garlic sauce. She turned around and walked to the counter and said, "I need..." and she slipped on the wet floor and fell flat on her back and then her head hit the floor too. She said, everyone laughed at her and her Mgr asked her if there was any "spillage". She said, "No, i save the pizzas." And he said, "Now that's the sign of a true professional."

Nice, right? I guess they eventually got around to asking her if she was alright?

Deb's immediate response was...i fell down = get up. So she did. And she thought she was ok. She left and made the delivery and as time passed she could feel her back stiffening up and her neck start to hurt. When she got back to work she let them know and they told her to go to Er and wrote down all of the Workman's Comp. info that she needed.

Deb then called me and asked me if i wanted to go for a ride. She told me what happened and that she wanted to come get me so she wasn't alone. So she drove to the house to pick me up. then she decided to go to McD's to get something to eat because she was a little hungry and knew that we'd be in ER for hours. So she drove to McD's and then to the ER. And like an idiot...i let her. I know, just beat me now.

She was in a ton of pain and after sitting in the triage waiting area, she was so stiff and in so much pain she could not stand up. They brought out a neck brace and a back board and got her on the gurney. All X-rays on her head, neck and back came back negative with nothing broken. Whew! They gave her a shot of dilaudid for pain. After about 20 minutes she was speaking in Chinese or something and was starting to sleep a bit. As they were working on her discharge papers, she started to feel nauseous, from the pain med, i'm sure...she's had the same reaction to Vicodin and Oxy too. We asked for a bin in case she hurled. Shortly after that the nurse came in and gave her a shot of something for nausea. She was released about 30 minutes later. I drove home.

We were home just long enough for her to use the loo, me to use the loo and then she ran back in. I'll just let you guess the results of that...i'll just say "Old Faithful" and leave it at that. :/ After that, she crawled into bed and was asleep in no time. I felt her shift positions a few times during the night and she'd moan a bit with the pain, but darned of she didn't get up and go to her study group this morning. I made sure she took some Aleve before she left. I thought for sure she'd be too sore to do anything today. I hope she's not pushing it.

Knitting group is today too and she's all up for going to that too. She's got reading to do for her class so that might be why. And then we have to drive down to DC to pick her friend up this evening.

Oh yeah...yesterday was the 5 year Anniversary of our Commitment Ceremony. Nice way to spend it, eh?

~Suz~

Enjoyment

2007-10-19T19:03:00.001-04:00

Oh look, it's the next day and i'm posting again! Gasp!

I just had to post and share that i'm really enjoying my evening. :)

Deb and i took a friend of hers down to the DC area earlier today, i enjoyed the ride even though it is a well traveled route that we have to take. I'd not been out to do much lately with Deb being so busy and our finances being so tight. It was really good to get out for a bit.

We got home in enough time for Deb to grab her work gear and the camera and a few other things ...

Never mind, we interrupt this blog post...Deb just called and she slipped on the wet floor at work on her way out to make a delivery(it's raining), fell flat on her back and hit her head. She's coming home so i can take her to the ER. Her head hurts, her back hurts, she's nauseated.

I'll be knitting in ER tonight....

More later.

The Big Knitting Update

2007-10-18T16:32:00.000-04:00

I know you've all been waiting, holding your breath this whole time. Well, it's finally here. Lots and lots of knitting pictures. I know, shocking, isn't it?

I did forget to get a picture of a finished pair of socklettes i made for me, so that one will have to wait for another time. Oh well, i tried.

Here we have finished leisure socks for Socks For Soldiers. Both of these pair are knit using yarn that was hand dyed by a lovely gal named Joy. I love Joy's yarns.

Me knitting on the "Watermelon Socks"

The very beginning of the Tulip's baby sweater...

and a shot later on. I'm about to start the edging and the sleeves still need to be done.

A few cast socks for my friend's son who had surgery on his little foot. I really need to get these shipped off. I know they look like "willy warmers" but that's NOT what they are!

New Socklettes for me.

And, last but not least...Deb's Vest.

I had to make a few modifications on the vest. According to my gauge swatch (yes! i actually knit one!!), i needed to add more stitches in order to get the right size. Size wise, the vest fits Deb very nicely, it's the arm openings and the neck openings that i'm less than thrilled with. The arms are too big and the neck, too small. LOL! Adding the ribbing helped make the arm openings a bit smaller. Small enough that they don't look goofy. And, binding the neck off with a larger needle, and loosley...helped the neck opening to be larger. All in all, i'm quite pleased with the vest...it was my very first adult sized garment. :)

Happy Knitting!

~Suz~

Try This

2007-10-12T03:12:00.000-04:00

I did this typing in the dark, i might have been faster otherwise.

4m 49s

Click here to try the quiz.

My Personality...mouse over the color boxes.

Faithful Designer

I know

2007-10-05T17:15:00.000-04:00

I suck!

It's been a while, eh? I'm still here. Really, i am.

I've been knitting along. Mostly on socks. I love knitting socks, they are by far my most favorite thing to knit. By now i've knit so many pair that they kind of fly off the needles in a no brainer kind of a way.

A few days ago many knitters out there marked the beginning of Socktoberfest 2007. Already i can tell that my Socktoberfest knitting will be far more successful than my Summer of Socks knitting. I had other knitting projects that got in the way of my Summer full of sock knitting. I had high hopes to crank out many o'pair of socks, but it just didn't happen. Oh sure, i still have other projects going on right now, but i've also finished a couple of projects and so there's less knitting pressure.

Deb's vest is still on the needles and moving along and the Tulip Baby Sweater even though it has been on a small hiatus, i look at it every day and it won't take too long to finish up. I just finished my second pair of soldier leisure socks for Socks for Soldiers. The second pair was also made with contest yarn that was hand dyed by a very talented dyer named Joy. So far, i have loved any contest yarn i have gotten from her. I'm so lucky that some of her yarns get to come and visit me! I sure hope that the soldiers who receive the socks made with Joy's dyed yarns, enjoy them as much as i have. I still need to take pics, so that will make for another post. Ya know, sometime. Heh.

I've been thinking about socks a lot. I have socks on the brain, actually. In thinking about Socktoberfest and winding up the yarns that i wanted to make sure to use this month, i've pondered on why i love to knit socks. The reasons are many. Initially i wanted to learn to knit socks so that i could make some more exciting socks for myself. With the lymphedema in my legs and the resulting swelling, most store bought socks do not fit me. Over the years the only socks i've been able to wear, i buy at Jc Penny and they come in a small range of solid colors. Black, Gray, Navy, Powder Blue, Off White and White. I'm thankful that there were those colors and not just black or white! But, c'mon...that's so boring! Now that i knit my own socks, i can use any colors i want! It's exciting.

I have learned that the best sock style for me is to knit what i call a "socklette". It's really just a cuff that's 2-3 inches and then right on into the heel flap. Easy and quick. I have learned to really enjoy the logical construction of a sock. Cuff to leg to heel flap to heel cup to gusset to foot to toe decreases and on to the kitchener stitch to close it off. It all makes perfect sense if taken step by step. I'm beginning to realize that i need to branch out and learn to knit a short row heel and also learn how to knit toe up. Ya know, just to say i can do it. :) Maybe some day i will branch out to magic loop or socks on two circulars? But i don't know...i really love using my dpn's.

The other thing i love about socks is that it's not a project, for the most part, that you'll be looking at long enough that you'll get sick of the yarn. So far when knitting for myself, i've always used a plain vanilla sock recipe, nothing fancy. It's all about the YARN. I like knitting along and waiting to see what kind of surprises the sock yarn has in store for me. Will it stripe? Pool? Flash? Barber pole? Or does it just have a tweedy effect or a nice color graduation? Sock yarns comes in so many different varieties and they are so very addictive. Whenever i have money to spend on yarn, i almost always head for sock yarn first. I'm pretty sure that most of my stash is sock yarn.

Ya know, if you have any sock yarn you don't love any more, you can always send it over here, i'll give it a nice home and put it to goo use. LOL! ;)

There, i posted. Sheesh!

~Suz~

My Warped Humor

2007-09-22T02:19:00.000-04:00

Ok, so clearly there's not been much blogging going on around here. Deb's been blogging more...i know, huge shock!

She got a 96 on the test she took for her EMT class this past week. I'm so proud of her!

A few weeks ago, Deb agreed to give a friend of hers a ride to the DC area. I took a few interesting photos along the way.

We were stuck in traffic behind this bus, would you ride it?

Here, look a little closer...

I would so NOT ride this bus. I mean, for goodness sake, it advertises right on it that it's late! L8, get it? Ok. Ok, i'll move along.

I also ran across this sign, which i thought was a very strange combination...

I knew i tasted something strange in that last slice of cake i had!

Ok, that's all for now. I'm off to bed. Knitting group tomorrow!!

~Suz~ :)

I Caved

2007-09-13T17:37:00.000-04:00

To the cuteness. I couldn't help it. I mean really, you'd have to be super human to not cave to this item.

(Becky, you should stop reading now if you want to be surprised!)

Is she gone yet? I'll wait....

Ok. So the kit of cuteness that i was on a waiting list for, finally arrived from Threadbear Fiber Arts. Oh. My. Goddess! I'm getting ready to start the third color and the sleeves and it's so much fun. Who knew? Oh sure, it looked like fun when The Harlot blogged about it and then by the time i saw it for the umpteenth time on T's - Keyboard Biologist blog, well...i was doomed. Doomed to add my name to a wait list.

Here's a clue...

Do you know what it is?

Here, maybe this will help...

Oh, isn't it sweet? I'm on the fourth color, more pics to come.

~Suz~

Help Find Steve Fossett

2007-09-11T09:13:00.001-04:00

No, really!

Amazon Mechanical Turk through Google Earth is allowing web browsers to help with the search by viewing new satellite images.

I signed on last night, in the wee hours and it's dry work...but, who knows, it could be helpful.

In other news, it's raining here today. Yes!! This excites me because it means some cooler temps and i'm all for that.

I know this is a lame post, so sue me!

~Suz~

Go shop!

2007-09-05T19:30:00.000-04:00

Since i've basically got nothing...go visit Dave's Cabin Cove Mercantile. He's stocked it up with all sorts of new goodies. He's been a very busy boy. Hand dyed roving, hand dyed yarns, hand spun and hand dyed yarns, gorgeous greeting cards made with some of his most amazing photography. Really, go have a look, you won't be disappointed!

And, let's discuss this...

When in the world did Bon Jovi and The Eagles become "country" music? You don't believe me? Turn on CMT for a while and watch, they both have new videos out. Weren't they considered to be in the "rock" genre at one point? Ya know, before hip hop and rap took over everything?!

Discuss.

~Suz~

Free Coffee

2007-08-25T01:32:00.000-04:00

Zoinks!

2007-08-24T04:34:00.000-04:00

How long has it been since i've posted? Twelve days?!!! Geeze, i suck.

Is anyone still out there? I'm here, really i am. I dunno what my deal is lately. I've really been laying low and feeling blah. Our finances have been crap and we've not been going anywhere or doing much of anything. I have no fun pictures to share and really not anything too exciting to say. Let's just say i'm in a bit of a slump.

I could complain endlessly about our financial crap, but really...who wants to read that? We all have troubles, right?! I could moan and groan about how i got royally screwed over on SP 10, but i'm trying really hard not to because apparently most people have a wonderful experience. I had half of a good experience sending stuff to my Pal and i really hope she liked everything...she seemed to. On the other end, well...let's just say, "Nada"...and leave it at that. Well, nada until a little Angel sent me something fun and yummy. Another huge thanks to that Angel!! You know who you are and i appreciate you a ton! ;) I stare at the yarn all the time and it's motivated me to get some other projects finished so that i can cast on.

Ok, so knitting news then, eh? I have finished the pair of Soldier Leisure socks made from this yarn...I'll have to get a new pic for ya. I have managed to advance past the 16.5 inches of St St on Deb's vest and have cast off the arm hole stitches so that i now have a front and a back section. The back section is knit first and i moved it from circular needles to straight needles (i knit faster on straights)...and i am about 6 inches along in the 11 inches needed for the back. So, it's moving along and i'll take a new pic this weekend at Knitting Group. The Big Black Soldier sock was frogged and recast because it seemed too tight to me, so i went up to the next cast on amount and am much happier with it...i can't be cutting off circulation for some dear soldier friend, sheesh!

Let me share with you a few more pictures from the campout in July...these are some of my faves!

Greg and Kele packing up their tent...uh huh, that's what they are doing, i swear! And i about missed getting pics and i was getting my camera out and i said something about missing the shot and so Greg nicely obliged by squishy Kele again and she started muttering things about killing me...so, that was fun!

The most important part of camp, the coffee making station. Yes, that is a "Mr. Coffee" that sets up on a camp stove...can you believe that? Our coffee pot it behind it, it's a gorgeous pot that we normally use over the campfire, but since we were in charge of coffee we just used the stove this time.

Deb, playing with the campfire on the last night.

And Kate dancing by the firelight...

And i will leave you with this one, it sort of sums up the whole weekend. This shot is taken as people were walking into Closing Ritual...

...as people enter the circle they cleanse their hands in the bowl of water that is on the little tables (behind in the photo). Karen and Catherine entering the circle...Catherine was last year's baby of the group. Vickie, with child, entering the circle...she will have one of two new babies next year...another friend is due this Autumn, as well. And a new friend, John, entering the circle. New friends and old friends, friendships strengthened and friendships made. The web is woven and continues to bind us as we each take a piece of it home with us. Blessed Be.

Happy Weekend everyone.

~Suz~

Knitting update

2007-08-12T13:55:00.000-04:00

Oh hey, look who's back for a post! Heh.

Ok, Cookie, here's the pic of my new yarn that was gifted to me by my SP 10 Angel (ya kow, because my spoiler vanished off the face of the Earth :( )

The picture does not do it justice, i'm telling you. It's super cool with a wonderful blend of one of my favorite color combinations. Oh when, oh when can i cast on?

Now, i bring you two other finished items...the drum covers. I'm more happy with the blue-ish cover, it had the right amount of decreases for tapering...the brown-ish cover is not as form fitting. Both covers serve to protect the drums from dust and give them a bit of protection from damage...and that's what i was aiming for.

And now, here's some progress on a few other projects...

My socklettes, one sock done and now in hibernation to get the following items done...

A Big Black Soldier Sock for Soldier Patrick of the hot air balloon chase in April...

A pair of Soldier Leisure socks made out of SFS Member - Joy's lovely hand dyed yarn.

And the never ending black hole of St st on Deb's vest...i'm sure it will be 16" some day. sigh.

And there's your oh so exciting knitting update. :)

Happy Sunday!

~Suz~

Thanks

2007-08-08T16:17:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone for the encouraging posts of congrats!

Basically, synthroid is a miracle drug for a once dead thyroid. ;)

I think it also helps to live in a house with no air conditioning...you literally sweat your ass off! LOL!

Also a big thanks to my wonderful SP 10 Angel who sent me some yummy yarn in my favorite color mix! I have no idea when the yarn actually arrived, i found it on the kitchen table this morning. Other members of the household have a habit of picking up the mail on their way to work in the afternoon or evening and then the mail sits in their vehicle until they get home from work after midnight or the next morning...so, sometimes we have to wait. Hrmph! This time, it was well worth the wait. YAY!

Today i am at the library beating the 100 degree temperatures outside. I will take a lovely yarn photo later on and post it, so stay tuned! ;)

~Suz~

Lost

2007-08-07T13:32:00.000-04:00

Forty-Nine pounds, if found, DO NOT return to original owner. Thank you!

Yep. I've just had another follow up appointment with the Dr., prior to which, i ran by the hospital ER and weighed in on their jumbo scale. When the numbers came up, i looked at the nurse and i said, "You're kidding me, right?" And she said, "Is that bad?" And i said, through the beginning of tears, "It's great!" And then she said, "Have you been trying to lose weight?" To which i said, "Only for my whole life!"

I made her write the number down for me on a paper hand towel so i could keep looking at it. Since May 22nd, i've lost 49 lbs. Yiiiiiippppppppeeeeeeee!!!

My bloodwork showed that my synthroid level still needed to be upped and i have strep-throat too. Bah! The Dr. hooked me up with a script for the Z-Pak and sent me on my merry way!

I know i still need to finish blogging about the campout. But i've had this throat thing since then and Deb and i are sitting at Panera in Westminster right now. I'm only having a turn on the laptop because she went out to smoke and to get a scone and some coffee. It's supposed to be 100 degrees today, so we'll be hanging out here for a good long while, ya know...with the NO A/C at the house and all.

~Suz~

Camping with Friends

2007-07-31T17:18:00.000-04:00

While the computer was down and out, we headed to Indiana for the annual NIPA Campout. We had the most gorgeous weather this year, no huge thunderstorm leading to the flu for me this time. YAY! It was in the 70's, sunny with a bit of a breeze, among the trees at the Indiana Dunes State Park.

Deb, getting ready to set up the tent.

Visiting with Jess, Nakai and Patricia on the first evening.

We had a great time visiting with old friends and meeting new ones. I love how we may not see some of these people for a whole year or maybe only twice a year and i feel as close to them as if i see them all the time. Year after year the bonds grow tighter, as community should be.

Look, there was even some proof of my knitting at camp...Greg in the Jayne Cobb hat. Very cunning, indeed!

There was some relaxing, by guys named Dan...hmm.

During the day on Saturday there was some entertainment. Our friend Peter playing flute, Brian, Karen and others drumming and Kate dancing. Such fun.

We had a our version of "Stone Soup" acted out for us before a wonderful community meal of soup and bread on Saturday evening. In our version, some witches come to town.

On Saturday morning every camper brings their contribution to the soup pots and they are brought to a boil and stirred and then the pots are placed in a cooler lined with newspaper where they "cook" all day...amazingly enough, it's always ready in time for dinner each year.

I had some visitors in the early afternoon...

My friend Christine - her daughter Maya and my friend Jennifer and her son Jack came out to visit. I've known these lovely gals since elementary school, oh some stories they could tell! The campout happened to coincide with Jennifer and Jack's month long visit to the area to spend time with her folks...normally they reside in Arizona.

My Mom and DanTheMan also came to visit and they stayed to enjoy soup with us too.

Mid afternoon, our friends Greg and Kelé renewed their vows for their 10 year anniversary. This time, the tied the knot and exchanged rings in a hand fasting ritual. I knitted 8 feet of icord for them to use to "tie the knot" with.

While Kelé was getting her hair done, Greg was off playing Kubb with his buddy, Matt...in the distance, Greg's wearing the kilt.

More tomorrow...

~Suz~

And we're baaaack

2007-07-28T20:25:00.000-04:00

Deb did some financial magic yesterday...well, her and her Mom, and she came home with a new laptop that was on closeout over at the local Office Depot. It only took us about seven hours, one trip to the local Comcast store and two tech phone calls to get the thing online. For a while it would go online in safe mode but not in regular mode...oh, how fun that was?! And then all of a sudden after the 10th reboot, it was mysteriously online in regular mode. Hmmm. Curious.

Anyway, here we are. I've made my way through email, Flickr and Ravelry and now i'm blogging. Notice how i'm avoiding Bloglines? Yikes! I'm afraid.

I've not yet added the camera software so no new pics from our trip home, yet. We took a lot of pics.

One of the big highlights of our trip home was being involved in a hand fasting ritual for our friends Greg & Kelé, who were renewing their vows after 10 years of marriage. It was really fun to be a part of that. I think i ended up knitting 8 feet of i-cord for them to use to "tie the knot" with. I was shooting for 10 feet and would have had it if i didn't have to make coffee for a whole camp full of caffeine addicts. LOL! It was an adventure.

We've been home since Tuesday night and i've not knit one stitch. I have an icky head/throat thingy that has me feeling like crapola. So, i'm out of here for now.

Happy Knitting!

~Suz~

A Horrible Death

2007-07-19T09:14:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends~

I'm really not trying to ignore you and i swear that i'm not pissed off at you (do you hear that, Dave?!)...our computer up and died on July 9th. :( That would account for my lack of blogging as well as all of meaningful comments that i tend to make on your blogs. Heh! The lack of computer also means that i've been behind in reading and replying to emails. Sorry about all of that. We're hoping to be back online with a new PC in the first week of August. So, i'll "see" you then! Can't wait, i miss everyone.

I'm writing this from my Dad's PC in Indiana. We're home for the annual NIPA campout and to visit with some other friends. We'll be back in Maryland late on the 23rd.

Hope everyone is doing well. I should have lots of knitting to show you when i get back!

~Suz~

Sneaking in some Knitting

2007-07-07T07:22:00.000-04:00

The baby items have been shipped off to Wendy in Indiana for her Le Leche League Event. It's the 50th Anniversary Celebration, being held in Chicago.

Here's the last item i made, it goes with the Baby Albert Coat...

I'm trying to make some drum covers for our drums. It will be good to have the heads covered for our drive to Indiana for the Annual NIPA Campout to be held at the Indiana Dunes State Park. It will also be good to have some form of dust covers here at home other than bandannas.

I'm using this pattern for the top and then i'll pick up stitches around with a circular needle and knit down the sides. I'm planning to try it on from time to time to see where i should add decreases as the drums taper. I had gotten to the point where i had a few inches done down the sides and tried it on my doumbek, but it was too small so it had to be ripped and restarted. Here's where it's at now...

I know, it doesn't look like much, yet. Hang in there.

I also made some progress on my socklette and the latest Black Soldier Sock...

Cuff & heel flap...oooh. Exciting. LOL!

Some 2x2 ribbing in black. Only about 9 more inches to go!

See? There is some knitting going on. ;)

~Suz~

Wonderful Robin Part II

2007-07-06T13:04:00.000-04:00

And i'm back!

Pssst, come closer. Closer! Ok, between you and me, at this moment, i see no signs of threatening weather here in the Northern Maryland area. Let's hope it stays that way so i can ramble on without being interrupted.

As i was saying in my last post, i've been very fortunate to accumulate some really wonderful online friends to add to my small collection of really good real life friends. I think it's important to be surrounded by good people, whether they be close in proximity or far away. The good energy of just one other person can keep me soaring for days!

My friendship with Robin M. sort of happened by chance. I decided to take the plunge into my very first swap and was assigned into Robin's group of swappers. During the course of Secret Pal 10, Robin has been a very attentive Hostess and has always been quick to reply when i've sent a question, concern or even a silly little comment. We've bantered back and forth...mostly her listening to me, but we won't go into that. ;) I've read Robin's blog from time to time, but it had been one of the blogs that i'd forgotten to subscribe to for a while and then i'd stumble upon it and think to myself..."oh, yeah...that's Robin's blog!". Now, we're connected on Ravelry and so i'm always reminded to check up on her and i often click over to see what she's added to her stash or to see what new patterns she's added to her queue for future creations.

About two weeks ago, we were emailing back and forth and i learned that she doesn't live in Chicago, but in a suburb with which i am familiar. Jokingly i asked her if she could go over to another town and have some of my favorite pizza for me. Oh, hahahaha, right?! Instead, she suggested that she send some of that pizza to me! And she did! On Tuesday a lovely box, that i hugged for a few minutes, arrived. It was from Lou Malnati's...my all time favorite Chicago Style Pizza place. Yummy - Yum - Yum!! Deb and i ate it all by ourselves and didn't even share with anyone else. I know, i know...that's certainly not in the same spirit as Robin's generous gift, but if you knew the crazies that we live with, you'd understand! Trust me!!

Thank you very much Robin! I'd post a picture of said pizza, but we ate it before i thought to take a picture. We didn't even take goofy pictures of us while we were eating it...how lame is that?!!

Oh, i'm not done! More gifties arrived today, from Erin's Photo Scavenger Hunt contest. You'll have to come back again to see what i won!

Wow. My mail box has been very busy...however, there's one package i've been waiting for that has yet to arrive. :( Hmmm. We shall see.

~Suz~

Wonderful Gifts

2007-07-04T17:12:00.000-04:00

Never let it be said that Knit Bloggers are not a generous bunch. That's pure bunk! Recently i've been gifted with the generosity of two such wonderful knit bloggers...in a strange coincidence, both of them are named Robin.

Robin over at For The Love of Fiber, held a contest a few weeks ago. I was one of her prize winners and was able to choose from a selection of books. The other day, i received a wonderful package that held the book and some other goodies, look and see...

More Sensational Knitted Socks!

Yummy smelling soap that i can't wait to try. It's called "Flowers of Summer" and it's very pretty. It arrived just in time too, i had recently finished up the oatmeal soap that we bought at MDSW.

(i have to hurry, it's starting to thunder!)

An adorable sheepy memo pad! Isn't it too cute? It will be great for carrying around in my knitting bag in case i need to take notes.

Gorgeous stitch markers made by Robin. She said she made small ones for me so i can use them with my sock knitting. Hey Robin, i can use them with my lace knitting too! Oh, Yeah!! They're so pretty! Above the stitch markers is a magnet with Robin's info on it too. One can never have enough magnets, especially to remind us of special friends or special places.

Thank you Robin for the contest, the prize of a wonderful sock knitting book and all of the extra goodies that you sent along in my package. You went way above and beyond and your generosity is such a gift to me.

Eeeek. A storm is really brewing and the thunder is getting bad. You'll just have to wait for a seperate post about my other special Robin. Besides, she deserves her own post too! ;)

~Suz~

Letterboxing, Anyone?

2007-06-28T17:28:00.001-04:00

I was browsing someone else's blog today and came across a post where he and his wife had stumbled upon one of these "Letterboxes". Has anyone else heard of this? It's news to me, but sounds really cool. Something a family could even do together.

Basically, Letterboxing consists of a little "treasure hunt". People come up with a trail name, much like a screen name or user name online and they meet up in chat or message board communities where this hobby is discussed. Some people place letterboxes out in the wild to be found and people hunt for them. The boxes usually are made up of waterproof, tight sealed, plastic kitchen containers that hold an information sheet about Letterboxing, a log book, an ink pad, a rubber stamp and a pen. The seekers will carry their own log book, rubber stamp that has some meaning to them and basic supplies, just in case. The gist is to covertly locate the box, step away from the exact location, open the box, read the contents, take the rubber stamp inside and use it to mark your own personal log book and then you take your personal stamp that you carry and mark the log book that belongs to the letterbox, you sign your trail name and date it and maybe add your hometown and a comment. After you do all of that, you replace the box where you found it so that the next seeker can locate it too. Kinda cool!

There's a whole website about it here, check it out!

~Suz~

Sherbert Ripple, Fin!

2007-06-26T01:08:00.000-04:00

Well, i ended up being quite pleased with this little baby blanket. The stitch pattern was very easy (Larry over at KnitDad said it looked like Feather 'N Fan?), but i got it from Lion Brand.com and they call it a "Ripple Pattern" it is as follows:

Multiple of 18 stitches

Row 1: *[K2tog] 3 times, [k1, yo] 6 times, [k2tog] 3 times; rep from * to end.
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Purl

Repeat until you can't see straight.

It goes along very quickly. Which is always nice.

These may not be colors that i would have chosen, as i've said before, all of it was given to me by people who had already made whatever it was they wanted out of it and had leftovers. All in all, not too shabby for leftovers!

That's all i got for tonight!

~Suz~

Tag!, You're IT!

2007-06-25T11:33:00.000-04:00

I was tagged by Casey~

The Rules:
Go to Wikipedia and type in your birthday (only the month and day). Find three events, two births, and one holiday that occurred on your birthday. Then tag five friends.

Ok. My birthday is May 28th:

Events -
1). 1533 - The Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer declares the marriage of King Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn valid.

2). 1937 - The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California, is officially opened by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in Washington, DC, who pushes a button signaling the start of vehicle traffic over the span.

3). 2006 - German-born Pope Benedict XVI visits Auschwitz to conclude his pilgrimage to Poland.

Births -
1). 1779 - Thomas Moore, Irish poet (d. 1852)

2). 1909 - Red Horner, Canadian hockey star (d. 2005)

Holiday -
1). This year and many other years, it was Memorial Day in the U.S.

There ya go! And i'm taggin' people this time! I'm taggin' Scarlett, Cookie, Lesa, Kele & Kat! HA!

~Suz~

Summer Of Socks 2007

2007-06-22T17:33:00.000-04:00

The Summer of Socks 2007 - Knit Along, began bright and early on the First Day of Summer. I know, i'm a day late blogging about it, but i'm here now. :)

I actually did cast on for my new sock at a little after 5amEST. I was up all night anyway. I cast on and got this far...

So far, it's just a cuff. Nothing too exciting. I picked this yarn up a while ago when Webs was having a closeout on it. It's Gedifra Fashion Trends Sportivo. I had tried knitting it on size 3 dpns a while ago, but it was knitting up too loosely so i frogged the whole thing and the yarn has been on a time out for a few months. I decided to give it another whirl on size 2's, and it's working out much better.

I've also cast on for a new Big Black Sock (BBS) for Socks For Soldiers. This one and it's mate will be destined for Soldier Patrick who is the local fellow that ended up being in that hot air balloon that Deb and i chased down one weekend. (You can't see him in any of those pictures, he's on the other side of his sweetie, Trish)

In other sock knitting news, i received some wonderful contest prize yarn from the Socks For Soldiers Group today. Our leader, Kim (a.k.a. Sarge) holds contests for the members all of the time. She likes to do things to boost our morale and get us knitting more. I was actually late to the contest because i get my posts from the group in email - digest form and i had let them sit for several days during my initial Ravelry time suck. The contest was to tell a watermelon related story that was true or made up. I knew i was late, but sent my story in just to share it, cuz it's a good one, and one of the other prize winners asked Kim to let me have her prize. Wasn't that sweet of her? A few of the members who dye yarn, agreed to dye some in watermelon themed colors. I'm such a lucky, lucky gal...i got yarn that was dyed by Joy again! (Joy is the lady who dyed the gorgeous Autumnal colored yarn that i was knitting last month)

Without further ado, i give you Joy's Handpainted Watermelon yarn!

Isn't it fun! I love it!!

Happy Sock Knitting out there!

~Suz~

Baby Waves

2007-06-21T01:27:00.000-04:00

I know it's hard to believe, but...i've actually been doing some knitting!

Lacy baby blanket goodness, using donated baby yarns of this and that.

Want to see that a little closer? I know you do!

There ya go!

That is all.

~Suz~

Photo Scavenger Hunt

2007-06-15T18:28:00.000-04:00

Erin over at "Best Friend's A Dork" is running a contest that is a Photo Scavenger Hunt. I've been working for a couple of weeks not on collecting my photos. It's been fun and challenging too. The hardest photo to come up with was a bicyclist. You see, when you're in a moving van hunting down scavenger hunt items, you're likely moving in one direction and bicyclists in another direction. One weekend, i totally missed out on two bicycle cops, that would have been the best. By the time we had turned around and made our way back to where they had been standing astride their bicycles having a chit chat, they had gotten back on the seats and had begun peddling toward us and i felt a bit of fear at snapping their picture out the van window, right up in their faces. Deb said, "What? Are you afraid their going to arrest you for taking their picture or something?" Um, yeah! LOL!

Thanks so much for the contest Erin, it's one of the most fun contests i've entered in blogland!

Here ya go...

a knitter (other than myself) knitting in public.

an ice cream truck.

These were very hard to come by. In fact, this is the only one we ever saw, and it seems to be a bit out of commission.

a sock (handknit or not).

a library card.

I don't know if you can tell in this pic or not, but our library cards are holograms.

a ball of green yarn.

Caron Simply Soft Brites in "Limelight". Now, that's bright!

a bicyclist.

a street sign.

I want to live on this road. I LOVE frogs!

a flower.

A Stargazer Lily from Deb's Mom's yard. A bunch of them are in a vase on the kitchen table.

a public work of art.

your reflection in an unexpected place.

My reflection in the underside of my mouse pad. No. I'm not kidding. Look at all the gunk on that. I think it might need some Windex or something! Ewww!

someone in a catalog pose.

Mom, modeling her "Beginner's Luck" shawl.

a funny billboard or sign.

This was not an easy one either. It's the best i could do. Oh, haha!

~Suz~

Zoinks?! Two days in a row?

2007-06-13T03:51:00.000-04:00

Wow. Can it really be? Posts two days in a row? I know, i know. Don't get all excited thinking this will be a daily event, i'm not Dave, Cookie or Scarlett, ya know!

I actually started a new baby item last night, so i'll share that with you.

Originally i was going to use this pattern, but scrapped it as crap! There was a "Knit into the front, back, front" of one stitch in there and it was a complete pain in my ass. I ended up going over to poke around on "Knitting Pattern Central" and came up with a stitch pattern that lead me right back to the Lion Brand website, here. This ripple stitch is much more user friendly, so i'm using it. No real pattern, per se. I just needed a cast on that's a multiple of 18, so i cast on 144 and off i went. I did have to tink back one four row repeat when i realized that i had one extra stitch. Ugh! So, the clue is to recount your stitches each time after row one. Two and three are plain knit and four is plain purl...so those should be good to go if row one is spot on.

I'm using a small batch of yarns that were donated to me, i'm hoping that i have enough to make a nice little blanket and that it doesn't look hideous. We'll see.

This is what i'm working with)I'm not using that smallest ball, it's a different weight):

Happy Knitting!

~Suz~

Yes Becky, it's a blog post!

2007-06-12T01:17:00.000-04:00

Where's yours?!! LOL!

Ok. So, if you've been here you know that i've been sucked into Ravelry. It is fantastic! Once it goes public, i'll put up a link so that anyone who wants to can check it out!

Two other knitting notes:

1). The New Knitty is up. With Summer patterns.

2). Knit Picks has some of their yarns on super sale to clear out for Fall. Of course i have no spare yarn money right at the moment but if you're early Christmas shopping for me, i'd love to have some of this in "Campfire" or any of the sale colors here or here. ;)

I finally finished a pair of Horcrux socks for my SP. I'd like to pick up at least one local postcard or magnet or something and then i should be all set to send it off. Hope my SP likes the socks.

All of the other knitting that i've been doing is a whack of baby items. A few people have made comment to this. NO! We are not expecting. Sheesh! Bunch'a wise guys!

Any guesses what this will be?!

Yep. You guessed it. I'm aiming for seven, one for each day of the week!

As you can see, some of them still need some finishing, ends woven in and buttons added. I also need to finish the 7 sleeve rows on the Baby Einstein Coat and then i'm making a cute little hat to go with it.

All of the baby items that i'm making right now are being made at the request of a Dear Friend of ours. Wendy (sadly, blogless) asked me if i would be willing to knit something to be donated to a Le Leche League event that she will be going to in July. So, of course i will be spending the rest of June, trying to see how much i can knit up for her. Everything will need to be ready to ship out around the 1st of July so that Wendy can see what's there and decide what she wants to take. I asked her that if there was something that was "not worthy" of going to the auction, if she would donate it to the "Mitten Tree" at the First UU of Hobart, where Deb and i used to go to Church. See, there is a very good explanation for the baby items!

Ok. One last thing. I won a prize from a blog contest that another Becky held a bit ago. The contest was to help her find a new and possibly better name for her blog. Someone else came up with a fantastic name! Becky was very generous and offered several prizes, the winners got to choose in order and i chose this:

Oh look! Baby yarn! WooHoo!! Thanks Becky!

Ok. I'm off to go knit for a while. I may even cast on something new...and babyish, of course! ;)

~Suz~

What was that sucking sound?

2007-06-07T21:25:00.002-04:00

Huh?

Oh, that was me being sucked right into Ravelry on Monday night. I was so excited to get my invite and knew that i'd be on there that whole night, so i was a good kid and read and replied to all of my emails and did all of my blog reading first before i even clicked to enter Ravelry. Good thing too, i was on there until freakin' 4:30am and then i couldn't sleep well and was back on the site by 9am Tuesday.

Spent hours and hours of Wednesday on there, entering my knitting projects and yarns. I finally had to shut the poor computer down for two hours between 6-8pm so that i could take photos of some other projects and yarns that were deeper in "the bin". I got back on the site after the photo session, uploaded all of my stuff onto Flickr and then went right back to adding things into my notebook on Ravelry (<~~ link won't work until site is completely open to the public).

I wasn't on there quite as much today. But i thought i would drop a note to at least let you know where i've been. ;)

If you have no idea what Ravelry is...it's a very new - still in beta test mode - online community and organizational site for knitters, crocheters...later to be spinners, etc. It's a one stop place where you can list all of your knitting needles, yarns, crochet hooks, crafty books, etc. It's all interconnected with your blog, your photos on Flickr (and later other photo sites), it's completely amazing.

If you are on the waiting list...it's big. Like around 6,000 people BIG. I think they've invited around 1,500 people by now, but they have to add us in little by little until the system can handle more. Please, be patient. Casey and Jess are working their fingers to the bone. The wait to get in is so totally worth it i cannot even express it in words.

While you are waiting, i suggest that you round up all your needles and hooks, take photos of all of your stash and all of your projects...you'll want them later! ;)

Can't wait to see you on Ravelry!

~Suz~

What was that sucking sound?

2007-06-07T21:25:00.001-04:00

Huh?

Oh, that was being being sucked right into Ravelry on Monday night. I was so excited to get my invite and knew that i'd be on there that whole night, so i was a good kid and read and replied to all of my emails and did all of my blog reading first before i even clicked to enter Ravelry. Good thing too, i was on there until freakin' 4:30am and then i couldn't sleep well and was back on the site by 9am Tuesday.

Spent hours and hours of Wednesday on there, entering my knitting projects and yarns. I finally had to shut the poor computer down for two hours between 6-8pm so that i could take photos of some other projects and yarns that were deeper in "the bin". I got back on the site after the photo session, uploaded all of my stuff onto Flickr and then went right back to adding things into my notebook on Ravelry (<~~ link won't work until site is completely open to the public).

I wasn't on there quite as much today. But i thought i would drop a note to at least let you know where i've been. ;)

If you have no idea what Ravelry is...it's a very new - still in beta test mode - online community and organizational site for knitters, crocheters...later to be spinners, etc. It's a one stop place where you can list all of your knitting needles, yarns, crochet hooks, crafty books, etc. It's all interconnected with your blog, your photos on Flickr (and later other photo sites), it's completely amazing.

If you are on the waiting list...it's big. Like around 6,000 people BIG. I think they've invited around 1,500 people by now, but they have to add us in little by little until the system can handle more. Please, be patient. Casey and Jess are working their fingers to the bone. The wait to get in is so totally worth it i cannot even express it in words.

While you are waiting, i suggest that you round up all your needles and hooks, take photos of all of your stash and all of your projects...you'll want them later! ;)

Can't wait to see you on Ravelry!

~Suz~

Go See Dave

2007-06-05T18:16:00.000-04:00

Not *just* because i've got nothing, but mostly because it will be so worth it...hop on over to Dave's blog and check out his post today!

Dave lives in Boston and a while ago i'd asked him if he'd ever been to the Holocaust Memorial? He said that he had not. I asked him to take some of his amazing photos if he ever got over that way...and he did! Thank you so much, Dave!

I visited the Memorial on Columbus Day in 1998. There were no other people near the towers when we got there. I started reading the inscriptions and very slowly walking through the area of the Memorial, looking at and reading whatever my eyes could see. My visit that day has stuck with me and i think of it often. I stood there in silence and cried for i don't know how long?

Those glass towers, etched from top to bottom on all sides with numbers that represent each individual who was killed. So many lives. So much hatred. Just for being different. Just for being who they were. It is so hard for my mind to comprehend such unthinkable cruelty.

Peace.

~Suz~

Catching up on Thursday and Saturday

2007-06-04T02:09:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday Deb and i went out for most of the day to run some errands. We did some banking, got the van fueled up and then we headed to the Joann's in Frederick to do some shopping for my SP.

After our venture into Joann's Deb wanted to head up to Hanover, PA so that we could go to the A.C. Moore, neither of us had ever been in it. By the time we got there, my knee was killing me from walking all around the huge Joann's so i waited out in the van. I did a bit of knitting on this while i waited...

...and took this picture and a few others like it. The clouds were really wild and fluffy that day.

When Deb came out of the store, we decided to go and have a nice late lunch/early dinner at our favorite Mexican place. All of the chairs, tables and booth backs are very colorful carved scenes and designs. This is one of my favs...

On Saturday we went into Keymar and picked up Carla and then headed to the Panera in Eldersburg for knitting group. We had two new gals join us this time, such fun! Here's little pic of some knitting action...

Carla is on the left, then Sarah & Jess. Welcome to the group S & J! We left Panera just before 5pm to head across the street and check out the new LYS, "Knitter's Nest". The owner is very nice and friendly and she has a nice slection to choose from. She happily brought over all sorts of new things that she was putting out so that we could fondle them...including some hemp, soy and corn blends. Very cool! A ball of Trekking XXL followed me home!

Let's see, what else did i have on the camera? Oh, yes...one of the birthday gifts from Deb. (The other one is dirty so you'll have to wait until i wash it!)

It's hanging off of the lamp next to my bed. I'll find a planter to hang it off of sooner or later.

Lastly, look at this handsome guy!

My Mom sent me this cute photo that she took on Saturday. My nephew London. My Mom, DanTheMan, my youngest brother Steve and his son London all went to Brookfield Zoo for a birthday outing for London, he just turned 8, i think.

How's that for a mixed post of this and that? LOL! Hope everyone has a great week!

~Suz~

White Noise

2007-06-03T01:39:00.000-04:00

You Are the Index Finger

You are ambitious, driven, and capable.
You aren't afraid to take responsibility for your actions - or place the blame on whoever deserves it.
You are honest, free thinking, and objective. You see things in your own way - and you aren't afraid to let everyone know about it.

You get along well with: The Thumb

Stay away from: The Ring Finger

What Finger Are You?

Man, is it HOT!

2007-06-02T02:04:00.000-04:00

It's just been too hot here the past few days. Since there is no AC in this house, i've been spending as much time as possible in front of the window fan in our bedroom or under the nearest ceiling fan.

It's 2:05am. Deb's working until 5am and when she gets home we'll have about 5 hours of sleep before we need to get up. We have to run to the bank, the post office, to pick up our friend Carla and then to Knitting Group by 2pm. YAY, Knitting group!!!

Hopefully i'll have some fun pictures to share later on today or tomorrow. Until then, here's a recent pic that my Dad sent me, i'm assuming that since he's in the picture, my step-mom Lynn, must've taken the shot. Nice set up, eh?

"This is The Life!"

The photo was taken on the beach outside of the condo complex where my Dad's condo is. Panama City Beach, Florida on the Gulf of Mexico.

Drum Roll, Please!

2007-05-28T17:17:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to ME!

I'm here to announce the winners of my little Birthday Blog Contest. Without further ado, i will tell you that Scarlett was right on the money, and Lindsay has a great eye too! Way to go you two! It is indeed an Einstein Coat from the Sally Melville book - "The Knitting Experience: The Knit Stitch".

More specifically, it's a Baby Einstein Coat! I'm making the coat out of some leftover yarn that was given to me by Amanda, who attends my knitting group. I had no idea how much was there when i started and decided to go for the middle size listed in the book...so for a size that would fit 6-9 months (item is noted to be an oversized fit, not fitted, in the book). Well, needless to say, i ran out of the yarn with about seven rows left on the last sleeve! Ugh! I'm going to end up hunting down another skein at Joann's, but then that will give me the excuse to make this to go with it, so it's all good!

I'll shoot Scarlett and Lindsay each an email to let them know they've won. Many thanks to everyone for playing along and also for all of the Happy Birthday wishes. It's been a nice Birthday so far.!

While i was taking the photo of the Einstein Coat, how could i pass up taking this picture of my sleeping Luna, she was dead to the world! LOL! She leads a very rough life.

~Suz~

Naughty Sock!

2007-05-26T02:18:00.000-04:00

(There's a contest going on around here, scroll down to the next post!)

For the purposes of full disclosure, i give you this photo:

The current Soldier Sock was out drinking and smoking on Thursday evening. Somehow that leads me to believe that it and it's mate will fit in perfectly nicely once they arrive to their Soldier-Owner-To-Be.

Just in case you're wondering where it was that the sock got to that enabled this type of behavior...we ended up letting the sock come along when we went to the Annual Raffle/Dinner at the Firehall here in Westminster. If we had known that we'd have to drag it home and put it to bed straight away, well we might have considered leaving it home to be watched by Luna!

Needless to say, i'm a bit leary of taking ths one out in public again.

~Suz~

Birthday Contest

2007-05-25T07:14:00.000-04:00

Today is Deb's birthday and mine is on Monday. In order to help us celebrate i thought i'd have a little contest. I've had this extra book sitting here for quite some time, several times i have thought of gifting it to different people, but it may not be the type of book that everyone likes. I'm not sure that i even like it or would ever knit anything from it? I bet your wondering how i ended up with two copies then, aren't you? Random House. Deb's Mom still works there even though Deb does not, and they are able to choose from free book bins once a month. I told Ma Roper to just get any knitting books she comes across even if she thinks i already have it, because...well, you know, knitters can be a generous sort and it's fun to spread the fun around!

Here's the book prize and a few of the inner pages:

The book is divided into area of the home with projects such as pictured above and others including...lamp shades, chair cushions, pillow, throw blankets, robes, table runner, napkin holders, vase sleeves, bed canopy, wall art, a rug or two, etc.

I'll also have a second prize of some "sock" yarn. Of course, if you don't knit socks, you can always use the yarn as you choose.

This is JoJoland Melody yarn. It's 100% wool, not a superwash. The color in front is color Y29, it's pinks and greens and maybe some blue? The color in back is color Y25, to me it looks like blue and tan. There's 220 yards per ball. Fingering weight, good for socks, lace knitting or whatever you little heart desires.
Here's the contest:

I've been knitting an item recently and you have to try to guess what it is from this photo.

I will tell you these few things:

1). There are a few small clues in the photo other than the knitted item.

2). The item started out looking like nothing more than a garter stitch scarf, but then it changed direction.

The contest will run until Monday May 28th, my birthday. Please leave a comment with your guess if you would like to participate. In your comment, also note whether you'd be interested in the book, the yarn or either one. Two winners will be chosen. Anyone who can guess the item will be entered into a drawing where i will write names on pieces of paper, fold them up, toss them in a hat and let Deb draw from the hat with her eyes closed. Very scientific, no? If by Sunday, it's looking like no one has a clue, i'll add some additional clueage to help you out.

(If by some reason i let it slip to you what i was knitting, please play fair. I think i tried not to tell anyone because i knew i was going to hold this contest.)

Guesses are also welcome from the non-knitters. Those might be fun! ;)

Happy guessing!

~Suz~

And yet another Edit: I'd like to give a warm welcome to everyone of course, but a special shout out to everyone who's wandering over from "Noricum's Blog". Noricum, has become a little celebrity in her own right after the "Yarn Harlot" blogged about her and her fancy new hat!

Anyone?

2007-05-23T23:10:00.000-04:00

Can ya help a knitter out?

I don't know why, so don't ask me...but i've been having this recent urge to knit a Gnome. Yes. I said, "A Gnome"!

However, i seem to be having trouble finding a pattern. I've seen some knitted gnomes in various places around the blogosphere, but ya know...it's not very easy to find a pattern. Of course i would prefer a free pattern, but i'll pay for one if i have to. That's how much i'd like to knit a gnome!

So, i'm asking all of you other resourceful knitters and internet researcher types...if you come across or know of a gnome pattern...could you link a knitter?

In other news...no one of my last name exists. That's how rare it is.

HowManyOfMe.com

There are
0
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Well, we all know that that's not quite true. I have 9 members of my immediate family with the same last name (ok, one is my brother's ex-wife, but as far as i know her last name still stands...unfortunately), there are a few in the Chicagoland area and a few on the East Coast - NY, NJ, as far as i know. So how about this...

Suzanne:

There are 218,889 people in the U.S. with the first name Suzanne.
Statistically the 294th most popular first name.
More than 99.9 percent of people with the first name Suzanne are female.

A Visit to the Farm Museum

2007-05-20T04:08:00.000-04:00

After we took a nap Saturday morning (Deb works nights and i try to stay up too, remember?), we determined that the weather was nice enough to head over to the Carroll County Farm Museum here in town rather than going to Panera at 2pm to knit indoors. One of the ladies that has come to our knitting group was involved with a Sheep to Shawl demonstration. We thought it would be good to hang out and learn some spinning and some weaving.

We ended up entering the grounds just as our friend was running back in so we saw her at the entrance and she gave us directions on where they were located. Once we paid our entrance fee and i made my way, we arrived at the two tents where the looms, wheels and sheep were set up.

(I'm in the background to the left, leaning on my stick and listening to the questions being answered by one of the spinners.)

There was no seating in the immediate tent areas so eventually i had to wander a bit and find a bench to sit on. I sat on the nearest bench and soon realized it was in bright sun. Bright Sun + Pale Suzie = No Good! So i got up and found a picnic table that was under some trees. Eventually Tamara came and found me and she brought over two drop spindles and some fleece that was still "in the grease". She showed me how to spin and i was doing it right all along. My only error was that, like i learned from one of Dave's blog posts, i was not predrafting enough and was trying to spin with too much roving.

Tamara went back to the area where the demonstration was going on and left me to sit and spin. :) Eventually, Deb pointed out that there was a bench a bit closer to the demostration area and it had a much nicer setting. So i moved to that location and spun happily away while Deb wandered around the Museum grounds checking out the blacksmith shop, inside the Alms House, the gift shop and who knows where else?

In this picture, i have the spindle tucked under my arm and i'm trying to join some more fiber to the attached fiber. It was very windy and the fiber kept getting caught in the wind and breaking off.

Deb took this picture because it made us laugh. None of the other sheep were eating while kneeling. What's up with this one?

Here's one i took of the grapevine. Kind of cool to see the tiny little grapes forming.

When we got home, Deb was able to snap this picture while the mama bird was away. She took one the day they hatched, but it dodn't turn out too good and we didn't want to try again and upset the mama.

~Suz~

A Good Yarn

2007-05-19T01:04:00.000-04:00

Have you ever heard the phrase, "a good yarn" in reference to a story being told? I think i've heard this phase being used like that before but i'm having trouble coming up with any references on google. Imagine that?!

And have you heard the term "double entendre"? A double entendre is a figure of speech similar to the pun, in which a spoken phrase can be understood in either of two ways.

That's exactly what we have here.

And, off we go...
On Mother's Day, Cookie posted to her blog of her latest adventure in dyeing some yarn. I was shocked to see that it wasn't of her usual color choice selection. Several other people also commented to that fact. Hmmm. Of course, being that it is so VERY *my* kind of color, i graciously offered to give it a new home.

Quite shortly i recieved an email asking for a mailing address.

Ok...cut back to Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival on May 5th. Deb made the last purchase of the day. She paid for and ordered a loom to be sent from Wisconsin. We're still waiting for that to be delivered.

Back to the story:

Our post arrives around 4pm during the week. The other day around that time it was pouring down rain like you would not believe. I was sitting on the bed, knitting and watching TV and Deb was sitting on the other side of the bed, reading. I saw the mail truck round the corner to the right when usually i think she just drives straight out to the next big road. Hmmm. That's curious. About 15 or 20 minutes later i notice the truck come back, from the side road and making the left to come back toward us and sure enough it sounded like it had pulled into the driveway.

Out loud i say,

"Here comes the mail lady 'round the corner."

"She just pulled into the driveway."

To which Deb says, "Shut-up" or "Nuh uh."....i forget which.

Just then, the doorbell rings. And i say,

"It's your loom!"

Well, Deb got up so fast, she made it out into the living room and opened the door before her Mom who was in the living room could lift her hiney out of her chair. I then heard a bit of chitchat followed by,

"To Suz"

Huh?! I didn't order anything.

Sure enough, Deb then came into the room with a box that was too small to hold the loom and she had the saddest little pout on her face. I'm sure mine must've been the opposite by camparison! Who doesn't LOVE surprise gifties?!!! (Speaking of surprise gifties, doggon it i've still not taken piccys of the early bday gifts that Mom sent! I'm a BAD kid!) But i digress...

Deb handed me the box and as she did she said,

"It's from that Cookie person."

LOL! And that's excatly what the label on the box said. Too funny! I grabbed some scissors and totally tore into the box. Inside there was a sweet little card with cute Cookie-like stickers on it, writting in PINK ink and even a PINK ribbon wrapped around the tissue papered item. Of course inside was this...

Mind you, it was gloomy today with no sun when i took this photo. Bright, right? I'm so excited!

I thought that i had a plan for this yarn, but now that it's in my hot little hands, i may be rethinking the plan.

Many, many thanks to that Cookie person! I love my new yarn and you're such a dear to send it to me instead of keeping it all to yourself! Mwahs! We'll just call this my early bday gift. ;)

~Suz~

In The Works

2007-05-18T00:48:00.000-04:00

Well, hello there!

Feeling a bit more tired than usual today. Caught about four hours of sleep between 3am-7am last night/this morning (ya know, heading into Thursday). Had to get up and be ready for when Deb came home from work so that i could go and get blood drawn for testing. The usual bit of tests that any new doctor would require, and thyroid levels to see where my meds are at. Personally, i think the levels are still off, but we'll see. Each time my last dr would up my synthroid dosage, i would have more energy for 2-3 weeks and then it was back to Blah! The next time my blood work was done, sure enough, the dosage was increased. And we'd gone through this about 5 times before i had no more insurance last July. So, here we're starting with the new dr. and we'll see how it goes.

With Mother's Day knitting all done, i'm working on my next "project" of items. I'm making a yet-to-be-determined number of items as a donation at the request of a Dear Friend. Should be a fun time trying to figure out what all to make and how to work in as many of the appropriate yarns that i have on hand. I may have to buy a few "bits and bobs" here and there, but i shouldn't have to invest in too much thanks to some "donated" yarns from Amanda (of the "i bought some STR at MDSW and i don't even knit socks, yet" fame!) and a few other people along the way.

It's funny how as people learn that i knit or crochet they'll say things like, "Oh, i used to knit all the time but i don't any more...i have a bunch of yarn i'll give you." And sure enough a while later my Mom or someone will produce a bag of yarn or two out of nowhere. Hey, any donations are welcome, i always say. And if i don't end up using it i a timely manner i'll end up donating it to either: the lap blanket project that the Pagan Hooker is doing back in Indiana, Warm The World, which Isis Rising is fond of in Colorado (i have yet to donate to them!), or my third option which is the quickest way to pass along unused or leftover yarns....do what Amanda did and take it to the next Carroll County Sit and Knit meeting! But i digress...

Back to the new "project". I'm being vague on purpose. Why? Because i'm planning a little birthday contest, with a prize or maybe two. So, stay tuned because the last weekend of the month i'll be posting the contest and drawing for a winner/or winners on Memorial Day...a.k.a. my birthday and the last one of the 30's too i might add. Gulp.

I have a new hank of lovliness that i REALLY need to tell you about, but i'm still trying to get a good picture of it. Today, with the blood draw thingy, going to a quick breakfast and a bit of a drive with Deb and then coming home and completely falling asleep until after 3pm and then again until almost 7pm...well, the piccy taking never happened. So, well...tomorrow is another day.

I guess that's about all for now. Happy trails!

~Suz~

Randomness

2007-05-15T10:36:00.000-04:00

Ooh! I totally forgot that Casey tagged me a few days ago! Sorry, Casey.

Being "scattered", i'm so random...this should be fun!

The rules:
1.List 7 random facts about yourself on your blog
2.Tag 7 more blogs , making sure to let them know.

Here goes...

1. I know the Greek Alphabet by heart, as spoken, not as written. It's great for scrabble.

2. I am a HUGE James Taylor fan. I've seen him in concert several times.

3. I ADORE anything about The Muppets and Jim Henson. I'm just a big kid.

4. When i lived in Western Massachusetts, i worked as a hotel front desk clerk. While working at one hotel, the movie crew for The Cider House Rules, lived at the hotel. I invited two of the men who stayed over on the weekends, to come to my apt. for a home cooked meal. Only one of them came, Jimmy Flynn...he was the transportation coordinator as well as playing a small part in the film (he played an apple orchard supervisor) and also a small role in "Good Will Hunting" (He was the judge.)

HOLY CRAP...i just learned from Wikipedia that he's got mob ties and he's currently under indictment by the United States federal government for racketeering. Eeeep!

Well, he was a nice dinner guest just the same and always pleasant in the hotel lobby. Whew!

5. While working at a different hotel in the same area, i met Lance Armstong in 1999, before i'd ever heard of him in the media. He was in town for a bike race in Northampton, MA. The blonde woman with him (wife or mother) was a picky pain in the arse and asked for their room to be changed three times. Sheesh! Lance was very nice.

6. One of my favorite snacks is sort of odd. It's peanut butter & syrup on toast. You mix some peanut butter & syrup together in a bowl and then spread it on the toast. For some reason, i then like little pads of real butter on top of it. I know. It's strange, but it tastes really good.

7. I don't care for pancakes.

I'm gonna cheat and not tag anyone. I'm just too freaked out right now! I think i'll go knit and try to calm down. LOL!

~Suz~

Mama's Day

2007-05-13T23:53:00.001-04:00

Of course i sent my Mom some handknit goodness for Mother's Day. Of course i did not post pics of the items, because...ya know, it was a secret. I was down to the wire finishing the second gift...a pair of socks. And not just any socks, the Harry Potter Horcrux Socks by Susan Pierce Lawrence. Great pattern! Anyway, the box made it to the Post Office prior to Noon on Thursday and Mom actually got her gifts on Saturday. Wow! Not bad at all USPS....for once.

I also sent Mom the second string bag i was working on. It's in ecru kitchen cotton. And, i forgot to get a picture of it...like a dope. So maybe Mom will take a pic and blog it or send it to me in an email?

So, then, let's go back to the socks. I've had this yarn in my stash for about two years. It's handpainted with kool-aid and i bought it from a vendor on eBay.

And i turned the yarn into these for Mom:

Little did i know that Luna had been out shopping for "Mama's Day". Deb came in and said, "Um, i found this gift bag near the cat box." Hmmm. That makes it sounds a little sketchy, doesn't it? Inside the bag was: a great card from Luna, complete with paw print, a bag of yummy coffee, a card of scrunchies for my hairdo, a Lindt Chocolate/Orange bar and some seedling starter pots...one daisies(my fav!) and the other, chives. Fun stuff! Thanks Luna!(and Deb! ;)

Hope all of the Mother's out there had a great day!

~Suz~

Gettysburg Auto Tour

2007-05-12T08:44:00.000-04:00

Any guesses as to what we did yesterday? C'mon, i know you wanna guess!

Lincoln Station

Deb and i set out around 1pm on Friday. We were going for a drive and to Aldi to try to return some coffee that smells sour and tastes horrible. (Aldi's coffee used to be our fav, but ever since Katrina...it's totally not the same) We never made it to Aldi, we got a bit sidetracked. We started driving along and Deb suggested that we got up to Gettysburg and do the self guided Auto Tour. For around $10.50 we got a package that included two double-sided audio tapes and a map of the route. It's well worth the money. I think the tour claims to take 3-hours, but that does not allow for stopping for the loo, picture taking, contemplation, exploration or any discussion. Three hours, my eye!

121st Pennsylvania Infantry

I'm posting a few pictures here, but to not make this post obnoxious, all of the others can be seen over on my Flickr account. We took well over 100 pictures, needless to say, i'm not uploading all of them.

McPherson Ridge

This is the second time that Deb and i have driven through the battlefield portion of the National Park at Gettysburg. Much like this time, the first time was spur of the moment and to late in the day to even consider doing the actual auto tour. We live so close that we knew we'd come back to take the tour. I think it takes us about 30-45 minutes to get to Gettysburg(PA) once we're out of Westminster(MD), so not too bad at all. Even here in Westminster there are all kinds of historical Civil War markers and sites to see.

To my home State of Indiana

It was several hours of driving and reflecting on the events of the Civil War. At one point we talked about how boys would lie about their age in order to be able to join the fight. How completely insane the turmoil of battle must've been for a boy of 16, not to mention a man of 30 years or older. There was so much information and detail given on the tapes that it's just impossible to absorb it all in the time you spend taking the tour. At least we now own those tapes, so we can listen to them any time we want.

Eagle topped memorial.

To the sons of Virginia.

Split rail fence along the road to Trostle Farm.

Unrepaired cannonball damage at Trostle Farm

Pennsylvania Memorial

MDSW - The Haul Part Two

2007-05-10T00:25:00.000-04:00

...and the end of it all, finally. Whew!

In an effort to get pictures that were truer to color, i hauled my ass outside with my yarn to take pics today.

Ok. Just in case you were not at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival and just in case you've not bored yourself silly reading other blog posts about the event...

One of the longest lines all day had to be to get into the booth belonging to "The Fold". "The Fold" is a place of fibery, spinning goodness - located in Merengo, Illinois. I've never been to their actual location but have read lots about them via other blogs and bloggers especially, "Two Sock Knitters" and other various fiber fiends in the Chicagoland area. The main attraction at their booth? Socks That Rock! Socks That Rock is a yummy yarn from Blue Moon Fiber Arts, and um...it's for knitting socks. ;) Someday, i want to belong to their "Rockin' Sock Club". Sigh. But i digress....

As i probably said before, the festival was supposed to begin at 9am, but we got their and were in the gate by 8:45am and there were already tons of people. By the time we got through to the end of Barn 3...The Fold was the very last booth the way we went in, the lines looked like this...

Notice too, that i said, "lines". There was one line just to get into the booth and another line to pay for your choices. I just had to have me some STR. So, my beloved Deb and our friend Amanda stood in line. Above the din of the crowd, i directed Deb to look above heads and pointed to the one i had to have!

See the one in the top row with the bright green, well ok...between those two ladies' heads? That one! Earlier in the day i had instructed Deb with the mission of choosing some sock yarn for herself at some point, lucky for me, she chose this...

The one above the blonde hairdo....with the gray at the top and tan at the bottom. That's the one!

Blue Moon Fiber Arts - Socks That Rock
Colorways-Smoky Topaz & Seastone
100% Superwash Merino - Medium Weight
Handdyed Fiber - Aprrox. 380 yards each
From "The Fold" at MDSW
(The green in mine is brighter, it's not "seafoam" like it looks.)

This is what Amanda did while waiting in line.

The funny thing is, Amanda ended up buying three hanks of STR. Why is that funny? Well, she doesn't know how to knit socks...yet. She said that she stood in line for so long, that she really felt that she needed to buy something. LOL! How's that for helping someone's yarn addiction along?

Needless to say, i plan on teaching anyone in our knitting group, with the desire to learn, how to knit socks...and very soon! I must create more obsessed sock knitters. That's my mission.

Later on in the day, we had made it to the Main Barn and i think i already blogged about that and also about my hard time walking back to the parking lot. I had to stop and cuss several times, well...and rest too. One of the final resting spots was at the Chester Farms Booth, where i stopped to lean and rest on the cement base of a light pole. Well, when i turned to look behind me there was this whole big huge table of Cestari yarns and i just could not resist one last purchase...with project already in mind, even. These ended up coming home with us...

Cestari - Forest Green
2-ply Worsted Weight Wool
4oz. - Approx. 210 yards each
From Chester Farms at MDSW

Hope you liked the yarn P0rn. ;)

~Suz~

MDSW - The Haul: Part One

2007-05-08T23:31:00.000-04:00

Ok. Here i am with some Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival followup. I know that Cookie and Kele are all about the purchases and if i don't post something soon i fear that they may send people to beat me up.

Once we got in the gate, we took a left and started browsing the vendor booths. It was loads of fun watching Amanda getting lost deep into several of the booths. Carla was having fun too. I didn't really have any set purchase plans other than some "Socks That Rock". We started going through the vendor barns and i spotted this:

KnitPicks Simple Stripes in Vinyard.

Now, i know that might not be too exciting for some people, but KnitPicks does not carry this color any longer and i needed some! I had made a pair of socks that were meant for me, but were too small...Deb got them. With this ball and the 3/4 of a ball i had left, i should be able to make myself a pair! Woot!

Carla spotted a sale basket that i totally overlooked and when i went back to rummage through it i came out with this:

This is an inside/night time shot so color is off a bit. It's purples, dusty blue & teals.
Silver Springs Looms/Dyed Dreams - Janet Stollnitz
Hand Dyed Yarn
100% Merino Superwash - Approx. 239 Yrds.

I think that the next hank i bought totally jumped out at me, it called out my name and told me i HAD to take it home.

It's a rusty orange, yellow and green. Where some of the colors overlap it's brown or more of an olive color. Very Autumnal.
Opal - Herbstmelodie
100 g. ca. 425 m (whatever that all is? - Linda can you help a Yank out?)
75% Schurwolle(Superwash wool) 25% Polyamid

Bought at the Carodan Farms Booth
www.CarodanFarm.com

When Deb went back in with the girls after lunch, i asked her to pick these up for me:

They smell completely yummy!

Here's a cute picture of Carla showing me some of her purchases and she's being silly thinking they would make great earrings. LOL!

Just before lunch as we were trying to gather the four of us together right outside of the Main Barn. First i was sitting and waiting, watching the crowd and talking with other people who were resting. Then Deb and Carla came out. Then Deb went in looking for Amanda. Then Amanda came out with no Deb. Hmmm. Amanda tried and tried and tried to call Deb on her cell phone but it just kept ringing and then going to voicemail. And then Amanda said, "She must be in there petting looms".

Does she look all flushed like she's been petting looms?

Next post i'll finish with the rest of the fibery goodness, of course i'm saving all of the pics from the Socks That Rock frenzy at The Fold!

~Suz~

I Got Nothin'

2007-05-07T21:07:00.000-04:00

If you're here for another post about MDSW, ya know...the one where you're hoping to see pics of the fibery goodness that was purchased, you'll just have to wait because i've not taken those pictures yet. Maybe tonight while Deb is at work, who knows.

Instead, you really should go over and read Stephanie's post today. It is truly a gift.

~Suz~

MD S & W - The Recovery

2007-05-06T20:24:00.000-04:00

Oh My Goodness!

Deb and i are still trying to recover from Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival yesterday. Just let it be known that i have much fibery goodness to tell you about. Walking with the cane and with the lymphedema in my enourmous legs, well...let's just say that i almost didn't make it back to the van. I really pushed myself that hard and that far into the event area. I had to make several stops on my way back from the Main Barn to the van in the parking lot. There were some tears, there was some cussing and my Deb just really has the patience of a saint. Last year i only made it through three of the vendor barns, this year i did five and made the walk to the Main Barn, but sat outside - crowd watching the whole time that Deb, Amanda and Carla were inside.

During my bench riding throughout the day, i did meet and talk with some really nice people...i had a gentleman offer to buy me an ice cream cone when he went to get one for himself, i declined as we'd not yet had our lunch. Earlier in the day, Carla and i met Jenny and she offered us some of her nuts. They were really good. Deb bought us some nuts later in the day. That's all i'm sayin'.

Deb ordered the tapestry loom to go along with the stand that my Mom sent her as her early birthday gift. (Mom is new to internet shopping and thought she had bought a loom AND a stand, i looked at DickBlick.com where Deb has her "wishlist" and it is deceiving!) The loom ended up being significantly less from a vendor that Deb found at MD S & W, however...it has to be shipped from Wisconsin once the vendor returns after this weekend.

Carla seemed to enjoy her very first fiber festival of any kind and it was funny watching a newbie knowing that we were newbies only last year. Amanda had been to MD S & W before, she seemed to be totally enjoying her child free/fiber filled day....many thanks to Amanda's DH! I wonder how they are recovering from our day?

We went out to the van around 1pm for a wonderful lunch and ended up meeting the Bloggers Meetup once again. Sigh. We enjoyed some a lunch of a fancy chicken salad, veggies & ranch dip, fresh fruit, prunes, chips, Pepperidge Farm cookies in a variety box, bottled water and Sobe drinks...yum! We had several people stop to chat while we were eating and that was fun. I could not handle any more walking so i stayed at the van knitting while everyone else headed back in.

Many, many thanks to all of the people who stopped at the back of our van to read our bumper stickers. Even if you weren't one of the people laughing, i'm still glad you stopped. I kept hearing all of this laughter coming from behind the van, so i flipped down the little extra mirror that we can use to look into the back and behind the van and realized that that's where and why all of the laughter was coming from. I heard, "God is coming and is SHE pissed....oh, i love that, that's hysterical!" and stuff like that.

Here, i'll tease you with these...taken on the way to pick Carla up.

~Suz~

String Along, Anyone?

2007-05-03T17:48:00.000-04:00

Hey there!

If you've been around here and read a bit, you'd know that recently i did a bit of a test knit for Erin. Erin has a pretty easy pattern for a nice, sturdy, environmentally friendly String Bag. Oh sure, i managed to not follow directions properly and i sort of have a variation of Erin's String Bag, but i did make a second one and have prevailed!

Erin has decided to put together a little String Along. Won't you join her? It'll be lots of fun and when you're done, you'll have a great bag to take to the Farmer's Market or to your favorite Wool Festival for carrying lots of goodies....oh, wait, that's what mine will be doing this weekend!

~Suz~

Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival

2007-04-30T19:06:00.000-04:00

This coming Saturday!!! Squeel!

Ok. Ok. I'm fine. Really i am.

I'm very excited, to say the least. This year i'm going in - better prepared. Last year was my first time ever and i was so very overwhelmed. This year we're going with a couple of other gals, so that should make it even more fun. Last year we managed to miss the "Bloggers Meetup". This year i have yet to see anyone mention anything about one.

So, if you're going to be at MD Sheep & Wool: I'll likely be wearing the hat that i have on in that little photo over to the right. It's a Chicago Blackhawks Floppy kind-of-a-hat...i'm very fair skinned with thin hair and my scalp burns very quickly. I will also be carrying the green & white string bag to hold goodies. I've not yet decided which top i will be wearing with my black-stretchy-fat-girl-pants...i'll post that info once it gets closer to Saturday and i know what the weather will be like. I will have year and a half old Birkenstock - Boston Clogs in Taupe Suede on. I'll be walking s-l-o-w-l-y with the aid of an ugly silver cane. Please, do not mow me over to get to the yarn. Thanks.

Around Noonish, we're planning to lunch at our van. Our van will be parked in handicapped parking near the gate. It's a green Ford Windstar with too many "bumper" stickers on it...that include this, this, and this. If you see us lunching, please stop and say "hello". We don't bite. Much.

~Suz~

Views From My Room

2007-04-27T12:54:00.000-04:00

I hadn't really planned on posting this early in the day, but then something happened...

After rummaging around in the storage tote for yarn for a new cast on, i decided to bring the camera over to the window. I scooted the window up, opening it wider. Then i decided to take the screen and shove it as high as it would go. I hung out the window a bit and took a look around.

Normally, this is what i see off in the distance if i sit on the edge of the bed. It's really, across the road and down a bit of a hill...

The trees are all coming to life. The front yard here at Deb's Mom's has two, large trees...i think they are Japanese Maples? Here's a closeup...

...and a birdhouse hanging from one of them.

If i lean out and look down and to the right, i see this...

Can you tell that it rained? See the raindrops still left behind? I LOVE our new camera!

These were put in the "Cow" planter by the front door, just last weekend...

Deb's Mom has a thing for Cows...they're everywhere...mostly the black & white kind. One can even sort of be seen behind that tulip up above.

I couldn't resist the delicate color in this last shot.

Happy Friday!

P.S. I uploaded a few more shot to my Flickr account. They can be seen here.

~Suz~

Huh?

2007-04-25T00:21:00.000-04:00

Oh! Is this post 301?!! I almost forgot.

Ha! Just kidding.

For post 301, i bring to you...generous gifts from Erin. I think this was all really just a bribe so that i would never offer to test knit anything for her again, but i'm not quite sure. ;D Actually, Erin claims that this was all a "little" thank you gift. Little?! Yeah, little...just like my arse! WOW! Fun stuff.

What? Ohhhh. You wanna see, don't you?

I already showed you the really cute envelope that everything arrived in. When i opened up the envelope, this is what i found inside...

~My very first Alpaca yarn, ever. And in my favorite color...Green.

~Really cute sheepy postcards.

~A tissue holder in a totally serene fabric. Ahhh.
~Totally gorgeous stitch markers. (Pinned onto the tissue holder)

~The prettiest tissues i've ever seen. And they are so strong that one toot of your snoot does NOT destroy them. Very nice.

~Fabulous lip balm. Which i always need!

~A much needed double point needle protector.

Last, but never least...a sweet hand written thank you note from Erin. Awww. Erin, thank you so very much. I LOVE everything that you sent.

Now that i posted and took pics of everythign, i can start using it all. Weeeeeeeeeeee!!

~Suz~

300

2007-04-22T05:41:00.000-04:00

I lied. For the contents of Erin's package, you'll have to come back for post 301. But i promise you it's worth looking at this post anyway.

Deb and i went for a drive yesterday afternoon. It was a very interesting drive. I pressed Deb to take new turns and different roads and oh, the creatures we saw! We saw cows with their calves. Horses with their foals. Sheep with their lambs. And then we saw this..

It's an Alpaca Farm. Most of the animals look as if they've been newly shorn. The little turfts left on their heads are really silly.

These are not so frequent here...

This one came right up to the fence to say hello. I love when animals cooperate.

The best part of the whole road trip was when i spotted this...(edit: i did a little internet research and learned that this balloon is "DreamStar" out of Howard County, MD)

Believe it or not, it was actually smaller to the naked eye when i spotted it.

The chase began!

We hunted it down to a place where it looked like it was about to land.

But then it started going back up. I zoomed in.

And watched it lift back up. Higher.

And higher.

It was well worth the chase.

~Suz~

On The Needles

2007-04-21T13:54:00.000-04:00

I have several projects on the needles, but the one i'm focused on right now is this...

I'm revisiting Erin's FREE String Bag pattern to see if i can't do a better job of it.

This is how i look as i concentrate.

Scary, isn't it?

I'm using plain kitchen cotton again, but i'm being very conscious of my knitting. I tend to knit too tightly with cotton for some reason and especially with cotton on metal needles. So, for the portion of the pattern that is done on dpn's i did stick with my "Comfort Zone" flexible dpn's and that caused me to knit more loosely. The drawback to this is that i managed to break a few more of the needle tips. Oh well. I'd already broken a few off just knitting socks. I might see if i can sand them back to being pointy.

I am having a better go of the pattern this time. It was all me last time, i think. Here's the bottom of the bag a bit more close-up...

I'm actually a bit further along in the pattern and on into the Turkish Stitch that makes up the body of the bag. I'm actually doing the Turkish Stitch in the proper manner this time! Woot! Go me!! ;)

EDIT: Update...

Speaking of Erin, look what *just* arrived!! Erin sent me a groovy package for helping her out, test butchering, errr, knitting her String Bag. Since Deb just asked if i'd like to go for a drive on this gorgeous day, you'll just have to wait until POST 300 to see what's inside.

We're off on a drive, think we'll take the camera out! ;)

~Suz~

It's Broken!

2007-04-20T00:47:00.000-04:00

EDIT: Ok. It's fixed? I have no idea what the problem was.

Almost everything i do online...is broken.

Yahoo will not let me check email. Broken.

No Typepad blogs will open. Broken.

Flickr will not open. Broken.

Some blogs will open, ya know, that are not on Typepad...but if they have photos hosted at Flickr. Yep. You guessed it. Broken.

I want to read. I want to respond. I want to connect. It's ALL broken!

Guess it's either back to Pogo for more games or pop a movie in and knit?

I think the one that is making me most crazed is the email part. Yahoo will take me to a page that shows the sender of my first four emails and the email titles, but i can't open them. So, i know that there's an email sitting there from a high school classmate of mine...a guy i've not heard from in years...and of course, i'm curious to know what it says. Ok. Well, it's not that it's an email that has arrived by accident...i had the sad task of forwarding on the information that a fellow classmate of ours from High School had passed away at the age of 39. Very sad. I'd reconnected with two or three classmates and thought they might like to know and asked them to forward the info on to other's whom they thought might also be interested. That email, must've made it's way to the sender of the email that's STUCK in YAHOO and YAHOO refuses to GIVE TO ME!

Ok. I'm clearly losing it. Must go knit!

EDIT: Ok. Now Bloglines has gone haywire. Is there a full moon? Bloglines has listed as new...posts that go back to June of 2006 on all 69 of my feeds! Arrrrrgh!!! 5,912 posts, it's trying to load. Freakin' chatty people!

~Suz~

It's Not Easy Being

2007-04-18T15:42:00.000-04:00

What Your Favorite Color Green Says About You:

Balanced --- Relaxed --- Flexible
Compassionate --- Philosophical --- Humble
Loyal --- Inventive --- Unique

What Does Your Favorite Color Say About You?

SP 10 - One Month Down

2007-04-17T16:44:00.000-04:00

It's been about a month since the pairings were sent out for Secret Pal 10. My very first swap.

You know, i never anticipated this Secret Pal thing to be so nerve wracking. I'm waiting for my recent package sent out to my pal to land. I'm worried over whether she will like the things i sent or not. I wonder how long i'll have to wait? Wait. Wait. Wait. Waiting.

On the other side of things. I've not heard from my Spoiler in a while and i'm worried if things are ok in their world. I was getting really frequent emails and some comments on the blog and it's been quiet since about March 28th. Secret Spoiler, if you're out there and you read this...i hope you and yours are well. Drop me a quick note so i won't worry so...ok? Thanks! ;) If life's got ya a bit riled right now, don't fret...just let me know, i'll understand. Life happens.

If you're participating in SP 10, how's it going out there for you? Are you having fun? I sure hope so. I really think our hostesses are doing a great job!

Ok. That's about all i have today. It's been a very strange 24 hours. Deb came down with some horrendous 24 hour stomach flu or food poisoning or something and ya know, there's nothing worse than a whiny butch. ;) Shhh. Don't tell her i said that. She's actually not been all that whiny, she's been sleeping a lot.

~Suz~

Knitters had a good time

2007-04-16T06:15:00.000-04:00

On Saturday we had our meeting of the Carroll County Sit and Knit group at the Irish Moon Cafe in Taneytown, MD. Our group is pretty small, but we always have a good time. This week we had me, Deb, Amanda, Elaine and her two young girls. We kept Rhonda pretty busy making us beverages and yummy things to eat.

At least a couple of us have noticed that we get next to no knitting done at these meetings. We're usually too busy talking. For instance, i think i managed to knit about 10 inches of a three stitch iCord...in 3.5 hours. How pathetic is that?

Elaine kept getting lost at the end of her rows, she would be fine knitting or purling along but she'd have to set her knitting down to help the girls with something and when she would pick it back up...lost. She's making this baby blanket from the Lion Brand website...it has many colors of Microspun and Baby Soft. Well, she was using a circular needle set up and since she was knitting back and forth, i happened to have a spare set of size 10- straight needles so i just slipped the stitches onto the straight needles for her...hope that helps some!

Amanda was working on a poncho for her little girl. I think it was the item that ended up growing most during the meeting. Amanda is pretty adept at knitting in the round and chatting it up.

Deb set up her little plastic loom and tried to get started on making some "mug rugs" for her Mom for Mother's Day. However, she got a bit into it and then realized that it was not turning out like the pattern in the picture she was referencing. She frogged it and will have to give it another go.

I was working on the iCord for this...

I got the idea from this website, but altered the pattern to change the bottom. The original pattern called for there to be decreases at the beginning of the round and the half-way point, decreasing down to 20 stitches and then kitchener-ing the bottom of the bag closed. Hmm. That got me thinking that the bag might not sit well? So i changed it to this...

See that really pretty ribbon yarn? I don't know that i would have ever bought that. That happend to be a "left-over" that Amanda brought to knitting group the very first and only other time she ever joined us. I totally took it because i thought it was pretty. I had NO idea what i would do with it. I was thinking maybe some kind of a headband, but then i realized that that sucker would slip off of my perfectly straight, fine hair in milliseconds flat. So, that idea was quickly tossed. When i ran across the pattern for a dice bag on that other site, that's when it hit me. Aha! What a cute little drawstring bag that pretty ribbon yarn would make!! WooHoo!

Now that i've made the one little bag, i have an even better idea for a dice bag. We'll see how long it take me to develop said idea. ;)

Dave & Cookie have been after me for pics of these next items. I'd been putting it off because the weather has been such crap. Well...i don't think the weather will be playing nice any time soon, so these will have to do for now. When the sun decides to come back out and the wind decides to die down, i'll go outside and get some better shots.

These socks are made from Dave's hand dyed/hand painted sock yarn in his "Kaleidoscope" colorway. These socks are a part of my contribution to the...

...Knit Along! Tada! LOL!

I have loved knitting with this yarn. It is so soft. The color changes have been a blast and i actually like how the bits of pooling happened on the heels and toes. Deb has actually hinted at wanting a pair in the same colorway. Yes. My Deb. Ya know, Ms. Boring Plain Color! Unfortunately i don't have enough for a whole pair left. I'm trying to talk her into a pair with the leftover used for heels and toes and a solid color for the rest. We'll see what pans out.

Well, the electrical seems to be flickering wildly with the wind and there's actually a very interesting episode of Knitty Gritty on HGTV this time...Cat Bordhi and some new sock making technique...so i'd better go.

On the Knitty Gritty front, Vickie mentioned on her blog that the episode with Stephanie Pearl-McPhee a.k.a. "The Yarn Harlot", will be airing Tuesday on DIY at 2pmEST.

Happy Monday!

~Suz~

Imus Canned

2007-04-12T19:09:00.000-04:00

I admit now that this post will probably cause some people a bit of anxiety. It's my blog. I'm voicing my opinion. However, with that being said, i'm quite interested in your point of view...even if it's different from mine. Comments encouraged.

I watch Imus from time to time. I'm not a daily watcher/listener. I tend to turn to him when the other morning news programs on CNN, Headline News and the locals are just repeating the same thing over and over again. I like news. I'm a news junkie. But a whole day of the same stories is really lame. When Imus would get dull or brusque i would simply turn the channel. On the day of his latest and probably most offensive foot-in-mouth comments, i happened to not be watching. It wasn't until it hit the airwaves all over the news media...and then i tuned in to hear why all the commotion?

Oh. My. He did NOT say that?! What was he thinking? I could not believe that even Imus, of all people, could say something so demeaning, racist and sexist.

I, like so many other people am upset about his comments.

But i wonder these things: How is it that what Imus said is any worse than most of the lyrics in today's hip-hop music? How is it that it's ok for black people to use this same type of language about themselves or for black people to refer to white people as "cracker" or "honky", and they don't lose their jobs over it? How is it that Major League Baseball player John Rocker has made homophobic comments in public and he's only had to pay a small fine and possibly be suspended for a game or two? He's not lost his job.

Consider Isaiah Washington of Gray's Anatomy and his anti-gay slurs...not once, but twice. Has he been fired from the show? Have advertisers pulled from the time slot? Of course not. In fact, here's video and transcript of Glen Beck from CNN's Headline News discussing the incident in an interview and asking what the big deal was. He says:

"GLENN BECK, HOST: But anyway, Dave, what is the — what is the controversy? One of the guys called another guy a naughty name."

A naughty name. Isn't that exactly what Imus did? He used a naughty name. A name that some people, me being one of them, take offense to. This is just one example of a Media Talking Head, diminishing that offense and yet in the case of Imus we have other media and celebrity personalities calling for his firing. Hmm. Interesting.

Even today, one of the people speaking out loudly against Imus, Oprah Winfrey , was heard to make a comment about a "White guy's" dancing, during the course of her own show. How is that not a racist comment? Why not just say, "guy"...it's always the "white guy" with no dance moves. Oprah herself was even fully involved in a huge movie that used the phrase, "Nappy Headed". Remember the Color Purple? I see she didn't talk out against that or against it's Director - Stephen Spielberg or against the Author herself - Alice Walker. Of course not. Because she was a part of it, a party to it...so it was all okay. Whatever Queen Winfrey does is coated in gold. Right?

Of course there are also those few infamous people who are always around to fan the flames...Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, just to name two. Like Winfrey, Al Sharpton also holds to that same double standard where it's just fine for the African American population to use these phrases, but fire the white person who dares to even think about uttering such things.

As you can tell i'm irritated by the whole thing. The words Imus used were hurtful to people. He's clearly in the wrong. But why should he lose his job where all of these other people and countless others have not had the same treatment? Why not a fine and a suspension like John Rocker? Why not "foot-in-mouth" rehab like Isaiah Washington? I just don't get it.

I'm irritated. I'm pissed. Who's getting fired over that?

Share your views. I want to know.

~Suz~

McStiffy? Priceless!

2007-04-10T16:16:00.000-04:00

BwaaaaaaaHahahahahahaha!

Ok. Ok. Seriously.

It's been a really long time since i've posted about my other obsession. Reality TV. Yes. I know. But, yes!

I'm currently knitting to "Dancing With the Stars" each week on Monday nights and the "Results Show" on Tuesday nights after watching NCIS on another channel.

I think the judges on DWTS are hysterical. Bruno usually sends me into fits of laughter, because you can hardly understand half of what he says and the stuff that flies out of his mouth, oy...but this week was the best. Did you see it? Did you hear it? It was right after Ian Ziering and his partner danced their Waltz and Bruno was going on about the performance. Bruno said something like, "...you went from McDreamy to McStiffy...", the look on Ian's face was priceless as he glanced over at the host and the host looked back. What made it even better was that the live audience reacted and then Bruno was like, "...What? What did i say"...". I really hope that someone clued him in later. But, oh my...that was priceless!

EDIT: You can watch the Episode of "Dancing With The Stars" here, but if you just want to giggle at what Bruno said, go to about 26:30 into the show and he says it at about 26:40. LOL!

In other Reality TV news, i'm currently entangled with The Amazing Race, Survivor and Top Designer should be ending this week. I'm undecided on if i want to watch the new Bravo show - Top Stylist, or whatever it is. The one thing that may draw me into it...the hostess, Jaclyn Smith, YUM! Oh yeah, and i've been trying to remember to tune in to this season of "Workout", but i'm in it for the Dyke Drama. I want to see if Jackie finally drops that little, yipping, biter...Mimi. Gag! She's such a hideous person! Jackie, move on, woman!! Sheesh!

Over and Out

~Suz~

Good Shot

2007-04-09T05:28:00.000-04:00

A few of my favorite pics from our road trip to The Mannings...ya know, other than while we were there. ;)

It was snowing in this picture, so it looks a bit hazy.

Deb took this one.

And this.

I've come to realize that sheep are shy creatures who do not really like their picture taken. They tend to run off if you are not quick and you end up with shots of sheep arse. But i did get a few good ones in before they fled. Cows on the other hand will come right up to the fence and eyeball you for a while, they're very nosey creatures.

An old grist mill.

On our way home, the sun finally came out behind us.

~Suz~

The Back Room

2007-04-07T20:26:00.000-04:00

...at The Mannings looks like this.

I was actually sitting at the back of the back room, so i walked in from the far end of this photo. By the time i got here, my head was a little woozy, so i had to have a bit of a sit down. All the wheels, all the looms...oh my!

Here's the mother of all looms...

I sat on that wheel bench toward the bottom of this next picture. It was really comfy!

I think this is the type of loom that Deb would like to move on to next.

As i think i said in my last post, i think i missed out on one room so i'll have to check it out next time.

~Suz~

To The Mannings

2007-04-06T05:51:00.000-04:00

***WARNING***: For those on dial-up, i am so very sorry. Photo heavy post ahead. Well, because you just have to see it to believe it and even these pics don't do it justice! Run to the loo, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, let the dog out, hug a child, kiss a loved one and then come back.We should be ready to roll by then.

Deb and i took a bit of a road trip up to "The Mannings" in East Berlin, PA. If i believed in the concept of "heaven" then this is the word i would use to describe it. However, being Pagan and not buying into that "heaven" vs. "hell" stuff...well, nevermind, i digress.

As we were leaving town we stopped off at the local McD's. This is what i did while we were waiting in line.

After a quick breakfast, off we were. We took a lot of scenic shots along the way and later in the day some cow and sheepy shots. Some of those may show up at a later time. Our main interest in collecting photos of Maryland's scenery is that when we move back to Indiana, Deb wants to blow some photos up for a collection to have on a livingroom wall so that she can remember what she won't have in Indiana.

We arrive at The Mannings.

Upon entering, there is a round kitchen sized table and four chairs filled with a display of books, some brochures and a box or two of patterns that you can thumb through. To the left of the "Front Room" there are racks upon racks of magazines and books devoted to knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving, dyeing, tatting, etc. I'm talking at least 4 large magazine racks and eight book racks. Filled. There were also Videos on a few shelves. In the middle of the front room, one side is where the register area is, past that on the same wall is about a ten foot wall covered top to bottom in knitting needles and notions and stuff.Ii forget what is in the middle, but the other wall has tubes filled with buttons and clasps all in a few cubicles and maybe 6 feet of the wall covered top to bottom in totes and project bags. Past the totes was the Koigu and then on to the sock yarns: Trekking XXL, Regia in tons of varieties even Bamboo, Fortissima, Opal, Mountain Colors Bearfoot, Step (with Aloe and Jojoba), Tofutsies, Wildefoote. It was endless and i was starting to drool. Further down that same wall looks like this...

The pic is taken from a resting spot that i found in "Room Two". As is this one...

Yes. That's Deb, fondling a shawl. I know. You never thought you'd see that day! Oh, wait. Look! There's yet another huge rack of patterns. Ok. Let's face it...patterns where displayed in every possible location.

The wall behind and to the right of where i was sitting as i took the photo above. Turning the other direction looking into the next room...

Past that wall display of cones is the "Back Room", where the looms and wheels are. We'll just save that a bit longer, shall we?

As i pivot and take a picture across Room Two...

Can you make out the door across there? I didn't go in there. It looked more like an "employees only" sort of warehouse room. Deb went in i guess and said there's more and it leads to the studios where the classes are taught. On the wall to the right of it are shelves of rovings mostly in natural colors. On the wall that runs perpendicular and to the left of where i was sitting earlier...

It's the Rainbow Cone Wall. Pretty! Needless to say, there were cones of fiber everywhere in Room Two and leading into the Back Room.

The staff that we encountered was very friendly and helpful as were the customers that we chatted with. I had a few conversations with a woman who had driven up from Baltimore on a day off from work. Being the clod that i am, i never introduced myself, but i did manage to tell her my blog url. Lovely fellow fiber enthusiast, if you visit here, drop me a comment and say hello. Thanks!

I don't even know how long we spent inside. I don't even care. I just want to know when we can go back? Deb registered for the Four Day Weaving Class that she wants to take. Good thing too. We didn't know how many they took for a class, but it's six...and they already had four registered. Yikes! I'm not going to be able to afford the drop spindle class in May, so maybe i'll shoot for November or see about a private class if they offer them? I've got enough to keep me busy and i want Deb to get into her new hobby, so we're a bit more focused there right now.

This post is long and winded so i'm going to make you wait until my next post before i show you the "Back Room" and what we brought home. Ha!

Happy Crafting!

~Suz~

Say Hello To My Little Friend

2007-04-04T23:09:00.000-04:00

A post or so ago, i noted that there would be some exciting news to come. Well, that day is here.

Oh Happy Day!

Along with the happiness is a bit of sadness. Here is the last pic of our old digi cam, an Olympus D-425. It was a great little camera for just over 12 months, of course, and then it started eating batteries like nobody's business. I've grown very tired of taking the batteries in and out with every use and it certainly was not worth the whole buying price just to have it opened up to see what was wrong with it. Forget that!

Our new Kodak Z 710 arrived today. After eyeing this camera on the Target.com website, adding it to my wishlist there and visiting it from time to time; i started browsing for customer reviews and critics comments. Time and time i kept coming back to this specific camera. Flickr.com recently added a feature where they track what type of cameras their members are using; so, off i went searching through those. In our price range and for what we're looking to use the camera for, the Z 710 still remained my top runner. Then it happened. The seal on the deal. I came across the photos of "welshlady" on Flickr. I was totally sold! I realize that part of the greatness of these pictures is in the eye of the photographer, but to know that this camera has this potenial...that's what i needed!

Take all of the information above and add to that, the fact that i then stumbled upon a fantastic price at OfficeMax.com with a FREE 512 MB memory card included in the deal. Well, needless to say, Deb told me to go ahead and buy it. I didn't need to be told twice.

Here's are new digi cam, pictures reluctantly taken by our old one. Thanks old friend!

~Suz~

Mom has joined us

2007-04-04T02:02:00.000-04:00

My Dear Readers, well...it has finally happened. My Mom has finally taken the leap off of the deep end and landed herself right in the middle of Blogland. That's right, Mom has her own blog now. Now i can keep tabs on her just like she does on me. Now when i talk to her on the phone once a week or once every two weeks, we'll not only reference to things i've written about, but now we can talk about what's going on with her. I'll already have a bit of back story and she won't have to hash through it all, taking up that valuable phone time. Welcome to the addiction Mom! :)

In knitting news: I finished up my "Happy" socks as a part of my contribution to the "Shut Up And Knit Your Cabin Cove" Knit Along. I used Dave's very cheerful "kaleidoscope" colorway and i just love it. I was so undecided on buying that yarn. I looked at it over and over and over again in pics on his blog header and finally i just couldn't take it any more, i bought it and the rest is history. I finished the socks at 7am this morning after staying up all night as i do when Deb works nights. I gave them a test outing straight away so now i need to wash them up before i can get some good pics of them. Ooops!

I cast on for another pair of socks at some point during the night. I can't talk about them, they're for my Secret Pal! I'll take pics of them before i ship them and then when the thing is all over i will post them, but don't hold your breath because that's not until May or June.

Deb and i will be taking a road trip into PA on Friday, our intention is to visit The Mannings. I'd better call first though and make sure they are opened on Good Friday! If we get to go, there will be posts about it over the weekend.

On Monday a 512 MB Memory Card arrived for our new camera. Today, both the docking station and the battery charger arrived. Hmmm. They're not much good without the camera. Camera, still on back order. Cries.

~Suz~

Happy Place?

2007-04-02T01:17:00.000-04:00

Well, it's Monday.

For most of you, you're at the start of a new work week or heading back to class. You may be wondering to yourself, "...is it Friday yet?" (Looks at Dave.)

Well, here ya go, take some time out and visit your "Happy Place". (FYI: in case you are on dial-up, it's a music video)

Enjoy!

Oh, and i did a bit of this. I'm working on more. A girl's gotta start somewhere!

~Suz~

SP 10 Favorite Yarn Contest

2007-03-31T18:41:00.000-04:00

Our lovely Secret Pal 10 Hostess, Robin, has a new contest up for her group of participants. Robin has asked us to post about our favorite and least favorite yarns.

I'm going to save the best for last!

My least favorite yarn of all time has got to be Red Heart - Supersaver. It had been a long while since i had worked with Red Heart and i decided to give it another chance this past Holiday Season. I was hoping that maybe, just maybe there might have been some improvement or maybe it just wasn't as scratchy as i remembered? Time has a way of making the mind forget, afterall. So, it was with this great hope, that when one of my nieces asked for a scarf in pinks/blues & purples and i did not have the time to get to one of my favorite LYS, i headed to WalMart looking for the offender. I walked out with this lovely, errr....garrish bundle....

What was i thinking?!!!!! Isn't that awful?! It's the worst! I cast on. After working with the yarn for only about three rows, my hands almost seemed to be developing some sort of an itchy feeling. There was no way i could allow one of my loved ones to wear ANYTHING made of this yarn!! The little bundled infiltrator has been shoved into a deep, lower drawer...only brought out for this photo. It went right back away. I don't want anyone to know i even own it. I really should drop it off at the Goodwill! Shhhh!!

Let's move on to something a little more pleasant, shall we?

My favorite yarn, SO FAR...is Artyarns Supermerino. Mind you, there's a ton of different yarns out there that i have no tried yet. This yarn, i came upon by chance. I used to visit the blog of another knitter, Michelle, who has saddly gone blogless to focus on family matters. Michelle ran a contest to see if her readers could guess which combination of stitches she had used in the most recent pair of socks she had knit. I was one of her winners. This was in the box she sent...

I made it into socks. They are the warmest, coziest socks ever! I LOVE them very much! If it's chilly, they hit my feet as soon as they are back out of the wash. Thanks Michelle, wherever you are! :)

Thanks for our SP 10 contest, Robin. You're doing a great job! Yea!

~Suz~

How i love thee

2007-03-31T02:32:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy couple of days.

In an effort to try to make our room tidier and not such a crap hole for the cable tech who visited today (yea! high speed, how i love thee!), we actually did a deep cleaning and rearranging of our space. Using graph paper and measurements, we attempted several layouts the night before and finally settled on one that we thought would work. "Thought" being the opperative word. Needless to say, the final layout is not quite what we intended but it seems to be working out okay. Our window is no longer surrounded by furniture. In fact, the outside/window wall of our room is now, mostly clear of all furniture. My path to the bed is along that wall now.

We were able to fit my bedside, three-drawer, rolling cart back as my "night stand" so that i have access to my knitting supplies. Deb's Mom also picked up two plastic tubs for us...Deb's using one to store seasonal clothing in, mine...has yarn stash, knitting books and my binders of patterns as well as a few of my handknits that may be needed during camping season. Occassionally it gets chilly enough in the mornings or evenings to use mittens and i've kept out my Caron - Simply Soft pair of "Fetching", which will be handy for holding onto that extremely hot campfire coffee in the early A.M.

Items that were Winter themed or things we've not used in months, were all boxed up to go to the basement with the rest of the storage.

Deb's at work for the night and i'm enjoying the high speed. I've managed to download enough knitting podcasts that it would take me 3.5 straight days to listen to them. Eeek! And there's still more that i've missed out on in the past 16 months. I've watch some videos on "YouTube" in an effort to get some visual on spinning my almost year old roving into yarn on my drop-spindle. I've determined that i've been trying to use WAY too much fiber at once. I've listened to some music through an old friends "My Space" page. I've caught up on blogs. And all the while, i was knitting on the "happy" sock. I think i'm close to finishing sock #1 of that pair.

There will be some exciting news in weeks to come. Well, ok...exciting to me! ;)

I know that i have friends and family out there who do not blog, but they come to visit and check out what we're up to. (Hi Mom!) Please know that i have the account set up so that you do not need to be a "Blogger" member to post a comment. So if you want to comment on anything or just say, "hi"...just click on the "comment" button at the bottom of the posts and type away. Be sure to "sign" your name so i know who you are. I'd love to hear from you!

Well, i'm goig to grab my drop spindle and give it another go at trying to make some yarn. Hope your weekend is a great one!

~Suz~

Inter-Connectivity and "Like Kissing Your Sister"

2007-03-28T17:33:00.000-04:00

Well hello there! It's been an interesting day or two. The other day i received an email from a gal named Laura. Laura was looking for a "GaiaGal" who knew a woman named Wanda. Laura's friend Debbie wanted to find Wanda because she'd seen her on the Jane Pauley show. Wanda had been on the show talking about women's health issues and whatever it was that Debbie heard that day, it ended up saving her life. Whoa! Apparently, the other "GaiaGal" on blogger had mentioned Wanda on her blog and Laura thought that when she emailed me, she might be emailing the correct person. I had no clue who Wanda was, but i did respond back to Laura to let her know that.

I sat with that for a few minutes, maybe three minutes at most. It dawned on me that i only use the user name "GaiaGal", but maybe someone out there had a blog with the same name. I simply typed in the blogger url pattern and instead of where i put in my "scatteredgemini" i plugged in "gaiagal" and came up with a blog. It had move over to Wordpress. Off i went to Wordpress, following the link. I didn't quickly find an email address, so i left a little comment for the blog owner, Dawn. Dawn emailed back. She knows Wanda! Yes!

I emailed Laura back with the info Dawn gave me. The circle was completed when Laura passed the info to Debbie and she was able to connect with and thank Wanda. Wow!

I've since received emails back from both Laura and Debbie thanking me for my little bit of help, how cool is that? It was a great joy to be able to help them out and i've "met" a few new people in this great big world. I love the Internet.

In knitting news, i've been holding out on you. I've had a couple of little finished items on hand for about a week and had not yet taken pics of them. Well, here they are.

Just a couple of little bibs made from the "Baby Bib O'Love" pattern in Mason*Dixon Knitting. Quick and easy and super soft in KnitPicks - Shine Sport. (LOVE this yarn!) These are for our favorite Dr. Henderson's new son.

Ok, i started off with a bit of a knitting win. Let's move on to, well, i'm not going to call it a "loss". Let's call this a tie. Those hockey fans out there all know what a tie is, right? In hockey, a tie is like, "kissing your sister".

I'd mentioned in a previous post that i was working on a test pattern for Erin. It ended up to be a version of Erin's pattern. Go here to see what Erin's String Bag should look like and here are pics of my "Rebellious Stitch" version.

I had issues with the yarn i used. I would recommend using the yarn that Erin calls for in her pattern or, if using a basic kitchen cotton as i did...increase the base stitches by 10-20 so that they will comfortably flow around when you switch to the circs.

And finally Deb's WIP Vest. Not too much to see really, just lots of St st, going round and round and round. However, today i was brave. I transferred all 312 stitches onto a long piece of yarn so that i could have Deb try it on around her middle. Sizing seems to be a bit loose, which is what she wants. Yeah!

Now you see why i've needed to knit other things with color. ;)

It's time to wake Deb from her nap now so she can go make dinner. Later, we're rearranging part of our room. That should be fun.

~Suz~