Little House that is Scary

Sometimes I like to think "If my life was a show, what type of show would it be?"  I would like it to be fun and happy all the time, like a well-written sit-com.  When I am in self-pity and depression, it's like a Greek tragedy.  On the weekends my teen-agers are around more and my life resembles a daytime soap-opera.  Most afternoons I could host a cooking show and most evenings a knitting show.  My life could never be one of those programs like Little House or the Walton's where a problem arises, conflict ensues and all is resolved in the span of an hour (minus commercials).  But I wish it could!  I'd have the husband who is respected by the whole town and to whom everyone turns for wisdom.  I would always say supportive and kind things to my teen-agers and they would listen and apply my advice to their lives.  They would be tempted to do crazy things with the bad kids, but in the end would make good choices!
Okay, fantasy over.  Really my life is like the reality show that makes you throw things at the TV, yell at the people and call your friends to see if they are watching.
The weather here has been Hot Water Bottle Weather.  I am using mine almost constantly.  I keep the kettle on very low and refill often.  Christina recommended putting a few drops of essential oils on the cover to diffuse the fragrance and it is wonderful!  
Here's a picture of the hot water bottle cover that I knit for Christina.  Hi, Tina!

One Day at a Time

Hello, my friends!  I hope that you are all doing well today.  I have been fighting against some depression lately (or maybe I always am; it's just that sometimes I have the upper-hand and sometimes the depression does).  Anyway, I was reflecting that many, many of my friends and acquaintances seem to have issues with depression as well.  Yesterday, I read a little book by Dr. Henry Cloud called What to do when you Don't Know What to do.  I was irritated because so much of what he recommends that I do is exactly what I am unwilling to do when I am depressed. (Duh, that's why I am depressed).  Similar to losing weight.  The very things I need to change are the hardest things for me to change or I wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.

However, Justice demands that I concede that Dr. Cloud is right. So, one day at a time I will be applying his suggestions.  I am considering forming a group that could meet to support each other in this area.  Maybe through my church. 
Okay, so that is me "getting Real with you" about one aspect of my life.  Back to the knitting.  Last night was knitting group and I enjoyed it very much.  Thanks, ladies!  I worked on the Hermione.  Here is what I didn't work on, but if I can tear myself away from the Hermione scarf, I will finish it:

It's called "Inga Hat" and it's too tall.  Rebekah likes it though, so it is staying As Is and I just need to finish it up.  Thanks for checking in!

Christmas Stockings?

Okay, remember in the fall, when I was going to knit each of my children Christmas stockings?  Well, this is as far as I got:

Good news?  Now I have a whole 'nother year to plan to do something that I probably won't do.  I could even make out a schedule dividing the year into 5 equal parts (Theresa already has a stocking).  I could make short-term goals.  Maybe even calculate how many rows on average need to be completed each day?  Or...

Crazy Striped Socks

Today I am knitting on my most recent pair of socks because the Hermione Scarf and I decided we need a little time apart.  We had been spending so much time together, I was experiencing deminishing returns. 

Here are the socks that I knit for Tim in a yarn that only he, of all my children, would wear.  He prefers hand-knit socks so much that he either needs to learn to knit them himself or date only knitters.

I saw my neice, Jessica in Krogers last night and she mentioned that she'd like another pair of socks.  She requested that they be colorful like her first pair.  Well, I have just the yarn...about as colorful as can be.

I am going to knit her the Jaywalkers.  Tune in again soon and see!  (But first I will finish Ginny's birthday socks-agh!)

Playing with Wool on a Cold Winter's Day.

Zero Degrees this Morning!  Ugh!

I knit industriously on my Hermione's Scarf this week.  I added charted rows of my own choosing which complicated things a bit.  Even though I didn't like the first blue section, I knit for miles more before committing to taking it out.  Solution?  Cut the scarf in half, knit a better section and graft it back together.  You think I'm joking?  Alas, no joke.

Here I have isolated the offending section.

Here is my beautiful little scarf in two pieces.

Next:

1. I ripped back and put the stitches on a set of needles.
2. I selected a better chart and knit that section again.  This actually was the worst part.  I couldn't find a chart that went well with the rest of the scarf.  I was getting tired and cranky as a result of choosing knitting over sleep for several consecutive evenings.  After pouring over books, knitting and ripping out for hours, I finally found a pattern that I liked a lot in Andean Folk Knits.
3. I went to bed.
4. I finished knitting that section this morning and have begun the grafting process.
5. I ate a big salad while blogging because I can't eat and knit at the same time.

Here I have grafted it half way.  Very fiddly.

If you say you liked it better before, I will simply deny that you have good taste.  Some of the stitches are lumpy and bumpy from all the fuss, but I am confident that it will all come out in the wash.  (Blocking).

Thanks for checking in!  Please don't use this post as evidence at my insanity hearing.  ;)

The Feet that March for Life

Theresa and Spencer are heading down to D.C. this weekend for the March for Life and Theresa needed wool socks, so I knit these last week.  I really like this pattern.  It's fast and simple, but the cable down the sides makes it a bit fancy.
Last night, I had a blast messing around with the audio ebooks in our library system.  Even though doing anything on my computer is slow and glitchy and even though I am tech-challanged, I managed to get these audio book files to download and transfer to my ipod.  Yeah!  I have loads to listen to while I knit and I didn't even have to leave my house!  Love the library!!! 

Alive and Well

Hello, friends!  I am back after many weeks!  Thank you Sam (Heather) and Christina for asking me to blog!

Carol, Theresa and I have been teaching knitting at the library once a week.  It's going pretty well.  I have been getting back to my green smoothies and salads, which is helping me to feel better.  I am reading some books by Dr. Henry Cloud (about healthy boundaries and taking responsibility for my life).  Good stuff!

In my knitting life (which is what you have all grown accustomed to seeing here) I have been a sock-knitting whirlwind.  I made a pair for Tim, a pair for Theresa to wear at the March for Life, a pair for me, and I started another pair possibly for Eileen.  Eileen has thanked me repeatedly for the pair she got last fall and she is now my new favorite person!

Some time ago I bought a Rowan sweater kit on Ebay for cheap (the person didn't really know how to list it so that Rowan-collectors would see it).  I found the listing and bought it for the Magpie (a worsted weight that had been discontinued).  It included loads of a DK weight yarn as well, which I put aside in the stash without much thought.  WELL, last night I started knitting the Hermione Scarf (see Ravelry) with said DK weight yarn and I Can't Stop.  Well, I stopped long enough to tell you lot about it and to pin it to a board to show you:

I am not fussy about it matching the one worn by Hermione in Half-Blood Prince, but I am loving mixing around different color scemes and charts. Color knitting and cables have an appeal to them that I just cannot explain to a non-knitter.  Try it!  You will love it!