She's here!

Wow!! What a day. Yesterday was soooooo eventful. Full of ups and downs. Let me see if I can make this short and sweet.

Minstrel arrived at 9:30 am as me and the kiddoes were awaiting her arrival outside in the driveway. The seller actually delivered her. I had the best experience with this seller, they were wonderful.

Me and the kids unpacked her, while I was on the phone. That was the tenor of my day. I was trying to play with my new toy while the phone RANG OFF THE HOOK! Me and the phone have a love/hate relationship anyway.

The phone rang, and after a stern admonition to my son to "Do not touch the wheel!", I had a long talk with my pastor. Well....... I came back and disaster had struck. Ethan had unstrung my darling, spun the wheel, and the cotton drive band had been completely eaten up. I was so mad, you don't even know.

You would be proud of me though. I didn't lay a finger on him. I told him, calmly, to go to his room, put the gate up, and told him to go to sleep. Of course, this is after lunch so he had eaten and was comfortable. Then, he proceeded to wet the bed.

Me being the resourceful woman that I am, figured cotton of another type would get me thru until I could get a replacement? Noro. I had just finished the "I Do" shrug in Noro cotton/silk (can you see the blue drive band? That is the Noro yarn) blend. Hmmmmmmm. I got some of it on there, but this thing didn't come with a manual. &&*(&*(%^$#$%^^&* Have you ever tried to figure out how a machine works without a manual? It really brought me low. There are only so many places that drive band can go.

Well, all of a sudden, it was working. Winding on and everything, I don't even know what I did. Robin, if you have any words of wisdom, I would be ever so grateful! Specifically on how a **** drive band goes on.

Here is some of the Merino that Nel sent me. I love Merino. I love this wheel. It is a dream to spin on. The difference between riding on an ass and a thoroughbred. I had no idea. I never thought I would 'upgrade' from my Ashford Traditional.

I am about ready to make my 1st skein. This is so exciting.

Now, my dh wants to finish the wheel. This is a great idea, except that I don't want to take another spinning hiatus so he can tip toe thru the posies with stain and polyurethane. Maybe linseed oil? Advice welcomed!!!!!

Well, obviously I got the thing working. Then, I had to change bobbins and the madness began again. But, I got it to work. I still don't know what I did.

True confession time. A lot of you know me as a bright, silly gal. Usually smiling and good natured. This is true, most of the time. I love people and usually, they love me. Well...... my family did not love me yesterday. I was unreasonable. "Don't talk to me.!" "Don't touch that!" "Andy.........." "I must be brilliant if I can figure out how a machine works without a manual!" "Andy......." My family was really good to me yesterday. I made NO dinner. Andy did. I loudly griped and ranted a bit. They stayed away until I apologized. Thanks y'all. I love you and appreciate you for putting up with me. I am not proud of myself.

I find that I am probably not much different than my children. I am territorial. I don't like to share. And, I am downright greedy when I want to PLAY with my stuff. I want to be left alone with my new toy.

Well, today I am off to a conference for 3 days. And yes, I am taking the wheel.

What?

I have had a day already today. Mostly my own fault. There are just some days that are stressful for no good reason than I am just 'off' for some reason. What could be wrong, hmm? Let me recount.

Got up and knit, drank coffee and even watched Knitty Gritty.

Kids came down 1 by 1.

Decided to do school at home today vs. at library.

All that sounds GREAT!!!! But, it is me. I just want my house to be magically put together, my dd # 1 to not forget anything over the weekend, IE: 2+2=4, and last but not least my spinning wheel to get here.

"What?" you say? You heard me right. I am waiting for my new spinning wheel to get here. I sold the Ashford Traditonal to (drum roll please) Nikki (sorry, hyperlink not working for me today) and got a fantastic deal on a Kromski Minstrel.

I found a deal to good to pass up on Ebay and went for it. I can hardly wait. It is supposed to be delivered tomorrow. The only problem is, tomorrow is Tuesday and I am going to go out of town on Wednesday and won't be back until Saturday late. AAARRRGGGHHH. I just want to spin and not come up for air for days.

barometric pressure

Have you ever noticed on 'high-pressure' days your mood is better. Today's weather is 75 degrees, sunny, and slightly breezy. I am in HEAVEN!!! Mood is great. No sweating or freezing. A light shawl might be called for, but just because shawls are so pretty. I love 'high pressure' days. Barometric pressure that is.

I don't like days when the pressure to produce is high. Go, go, go. Those days the witch in me starts to come out. Can you relate? Give me some time to knit, spin, visit, pray..... whatever. And I am a better woman for it.

Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to 'do it all?' I just want to enjoy what I have. The friends I have. The children I have. The husband I have. The time I have. I am tired of thinking the grass is greener somewhere else, sometime else or whatever. We only get one time around on this planet. I want to make the most of it. Invest in YOU. Invest in my kiddoes and husband. Am I preaching? I don't mean to.

Let's give each other and ESPECIALLY ourselves some grace. Grace is undeserved merit or favor. Forgiveness. Letting go of hurt feelings and putting them in the trash. We all have been hurt, big time hurt, and hurt each other. I am making a commitment to let it go. Forgive. Forget. Love. Not the romantic type, but the true type. The kind that puts others 1st. I think that way, I will be filled up with 'a high pressure, breezy, and comfortable' life. Am I crazy? Maybe? This doesn't mean that life is easy. Au Contraire. I am just learning to live in grace and forgive.

Thank you God for this high pressure day. It was beautiful. I think I'll go knit on my porch.

Fawn

I had put it off long enough. The 2nd fleece. Today, I took the bull by the horns and went for it!

I got it MUCH cleaner than Brother. I followed a woolmills directions for scouring.

She is so beautiful and light. I have no idea what the staple is yet. I am having visions of what I can make with this pearly, lusciousness.

Other than scouring I have been schooling, de-cluttering and shopping online for something that will be unveiled at another time. See if you can be patient. Jennifer won't be surprised.

Progress Report

Just updating you on my progress with Rogue. I have started the 1st sleeve. I guess I could put 2 sleeves on 1 needle, but I am not real anxious to finish this thing. In fact, I will be sad when it is done.










Here is the finished body and hood. Now you can see my HUGE oops.
Close up details of the hood and the side shaping. I still need to block this thing.



















And last but not least, my newest love. The I Do shrug!!! This is some Noro Lily multi in a turquoise/navy/brown/teal colorway. I have been waiting for 2 years to find the right pattern for this yarn. A lot of it is in a UFO of a cardigan. Plain knit. I think that lace design really brings out the 'specialness' of the Noro. Plus it is 70% cotton and 30% silk. The notes by the designer says that it looks fantastic with jeans. Since jeans is "DRESSING UP" for me at church, I have a new outfit!!! Let's just hope that my problems with gauge have been improved.

Notice the bell sleeve. This is a fashion stretch for me. I am a plain, plain, plain person. I like plain clothes and plain decorating. I am just not flashy and this will be a show stopper. Let's hope I have the courage to wear it!

A photo shoot

So, here's the story. I put on the sleeveless Rogue at 8pm and head outside for a photo shoot with dh by the gargantuan rosemary shrub so I could show you all my work. I turn off the flash and DH takes 5 or 6 shots. The pix are TERRIBLE! It is not the sweater, it is not the light, it is ME!!!

For those of you who don't know me, I have had 3 children and am not a teenager anymore. I don't even expect to look in the mirror and see a size 0 model anymore. I know who I am as a person and even like myself. I HATE the fact that our culture places so much value on body size. I am basically happy with the size 14 that I am.

Excuse me while I scream for a moment.

*(*&(#$@#$$^%*%&*^$^%$#^%%&*(^*_&*(*&%^&$^%#^%$*^%*&%^&%^^%$#@#@$

Thanx. Feel much better now. Now I can go back to my rational minded self who realistically doesn't expect bodily perfection. Not even going to think about it again. At least, until see another pix of self.

So, who are the people who are doing this to us? Believe it or not, I think it is other women. You know, I don't want to be 18 again. That was a crappy time in my life. I like 35. So, why do we 'model' ourselves after 14-18 year olds who have no life experience (most anyway) and have not even discovered the true beauty that they have inside themselves. Goodness.

I will try again tomorrow. Maybe the light will be better and I will have magically lost 15lbs.

catie

We're back!!!!

Holden Beach, NC. April 2007.

We froze our arses off. I have never been so cold as I was this past week. We got tired of being locked inside during a Nor'Easter, so we went to the beach and the sea was really rough.

Kids are made of sterner stuff than me. My lovedies are all in the water. Why, why, why? It wasn't even 60 degrees.

The wind whipped up quite a bit of foam. Ethan really enjoyed playing with it like bubbles from his bath. He is only 3 after all.


Then, it didn't matter anymore about the weather. It didn't matter that our car broke down. All that mattered was that we were together and safe.

Andy is an alum of VT. Andy's brother, Tim, is an undergrad and grad alum. It was horrible to watch and to be away. We cried a bit and prayed a bit.

The weather did improve enough to consider letting the kids wear shorts. I only did so after much begging and pleading. At least it wasn't my body shivering and my teeth chattering. I got no points for good mothering this week.

Does anyone see something wrong with Rogue? The picture is terrible, I don't know why, but you can still see a glaring mistake that is unfixable. I didn't notice the mistake until I had knit part of the neck detail, joined the shoulders, and modeled the sweater for Lovey Husband. Guess what? Not fixin it. Hm mmmm, no way. Ain't gonna do it.

I guess I am not a Knitter vs. a knitter. I am unwilling to sacrifice for perfection.

Here is a very nice picture of the neck detail.

















Hope y'all have a great week. I'll be away. Hey Diana, could you drive by my house and if you see a moving van, call the cops. Thanx. Catie

What do you do, while you brush your teeth?

I HAVE A STATEMENT TO MAKE!!!

I HATE BEING WATCHED WHILE I SLEEP!!!!

Do you remember in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, when Colin Firth is trying to sleep, and Bridget is watching him in a love struck, birds singing way. Well, my lovedy is Bridget Jones. Ever since we got married, Andy has found it sweet to watch me while I sleep. The only problem is, IT WAKES ME UP!!!! I am not the sweetest thing first thing either.

• He watches me while brushing his teeth, it is such a boring task, that I am more entertainment asleep than watching the kids.
• He watches me while getting dressed/undressed.
• He watches me before going to work.
• He watches me just to annoy me. For some reason he thinks this is funny! Does he like being raked with nails?

I need a lot of sleep, unfortunately. Having had babies back to back for the last 7 years has made me chronically sleep deprived. Now that the kids are sleeping in to 8ish, Andy lets me sleep. Is this what I want? What I have repeatedly asked him to do? NO. I want my bohunkus behind hauled out of bed at 7am so that I can have my desperately needed alone time to wake up. My ideal routine would be as follows:

• hang legs over bed for 5 minutes
• 1st cup of coffee wrapped in Miss Koigu
• watch news for the weather
• acquire 2nd cup of coffee while contemplating knitting
• knit while I am drinking coffee

After the requisite 1.5 hours of waking up, kids can come down and be happily greeted by a calm, sweet, patient mother. I would need to get up at 6:30 to accomplish this difficult task. Gee, that isn't difficult. YES, IT IS. Remember DH, thinks I am sweet asleep. He doesn't have the heart to get me up. Even after me begging and pleading with him to do so. He lets me sleep and then, the munchkins get up and my torture begins.

Not getting up sets my day off on a really bad foot. Grumpy, cranky, non-caffeinated, and no time to knit and vegetate. Why won't Andy wake me up? I need an alarm clock. Yes, that is the ticket. I am not hard to wake up, just cranky and don't want to talk. Andy is SUPPOSED to be my alarm clock. Why won't he wake me up? Doesn't he understand that not waking me up is tatamount to expecting me to do a NASCAR race with the kids as soon as my eyes open? Without fuel and a tune-up. I might even need my tires changed.

He likes to watch while I sleep.

Dearest Lovedy, We need to talk. I have mentioned these 2 issues before, but it hasn't made much of a dent in your hard head. Here goes: I know that you like to watch me sleep. I wish you would quit. I understand that you love me, but this drives me to the edge of violence to hear you brushing your teeth, open my eyes, and see you staring at me. Do you think watching me sleep is a spectator sport? I am here to inform you that it is not.

On to the 2nd issue: Why won't you get me up? I understand that you think I look cute all warm and sleepy. But don't you get it that I need alone time, coffee, and knitting to be sane 1st thing in the morning? I willingly choose to forgo the extra 1.5 hours of sleep in order to be a decent, pleasant mother. I am begging you....... GET ME UP!!!

ALL MY LOVE, Lovey Wife

Dumpster Diving

Hello Saturday!!! BC, that is Before Children, Saturday was a day of ENDLESS possibilities. Sometimes we would hike, take a day trip, or even (quite a bit actually, in retrospect), go away for the weekend. We had a DINK (double income, no kids) lifestyle. That is long over!!!

This was my life so far, today. Awaken, by children at 8:30. Make coffee. Sit to knit. You see my priorities. Andy makes bacon and sunny side up eggs with kiddos. I am served eggs, toast, and bacon. I even got to watch "Tyler's Ultimate Pot Roast" on the Food Network. Kids then request a video. We put one in and adjourn to have a quick wrestling match ;).

Then..... The Piece de Resistance...... Dumpster Diving. Yes, dumpster diving. My decluttering from the past 2 or 3 months hasn't meant much without careful maintenance. When I was a serious blonde, I took maintenance seriously. Now, my hair and house suffers from the lack thereof. So, me and the girls dove into the trash heap of their room. We sorted all the baby girl toys, and dumped them into a box for Goodwill. You wouldn't believe all the stuff that those chicks parted with WILLINGLY. Then, they dove under the bunks and dug out the equivalent of a paleontologists dream of artifacts. Some organic and some inorganic. Andy the the Bud Man did his room. Andy is now vacuuming out all the stuff too small to pick up and throw into a massive trash bag.

I have sil who lives in Boston, is single, and has REALLY been dumpster diving. Back when McDonald's was giving away free plane tickets in exchange for collected drink cups, Becca and her friends would dig thru dumpsters, collect cups, and turn them in for plane tickets. That got her to the beach last year for the annual LONG family beach vacation. Believe me, I will be blogging about that when the times comes again this year. That is a comedy in and of itself.

My kids are well on their way to being obsessed with stuff. They come by it honestly. Parents and aunts, uncles, friends, and grandparents shower them with things. And, FYI, most of all those things have now become unloved and put out into the dumpster for someone else to dive for. Yeesh. The whining that I get at whatever store just to end up in the dump. I am realizing the massive waste of money that I have been party too. There is a lesson here.

What am I setting my affections on and beg for, after I get it, ends up in the dump, unloved?

God, help me to set my affections on things that last forever!! Give me a love for the things that last for eternity. Thank you Father for blessing me and my family and forgive me for complaining and whining about what I don't have. I love you.

Eggs

Hems

I actually have a title for this picture:

QUALITY TIME

Today my in-laws came and took my kids to their house today for a play date with some cousins. I usually go to Bible study on Wed. and I had a HUGE DECISION to make. Do I go to Bible study, see friends, pray, and generally be fed. OR, stay home knit, card and spin, read and do various other sundry things ALONE with out my helpers? Boy, I tell you it was a tough decision. And I opted to go to study. I walked the mile to my friends house. Beautiful day!!!!

The study was great, as usual. God really spoke to me today and I think I will share it with you, if you are interested, read on!!!! It DOES tie into knitting.
Easter is HERE!!! Resurrection!!! Hallelujah!!! But, did you know that the Jewish Passover celebration coincides with this holiday? It does. The Passover is an ancient celebration of the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. God miraculously set His people free! And, BTW, that is what we were studying today in Bible study, the book of Exodus. We are at the parting of the Red Sea.

Well, God took His people the long way to the Red Sea. Put them in an impossible situation. There were mountains on either side of a million plus people, a deep sea in front of them, and Pharaoh's army (with chariots, the equivalent of a F-14 today) behind them. That doesn't seem fair. God brought them to a place to either drown or be slaughtered. God, "hemmed them in."

Have you ever been there? I have. Circumstances with mom on either side of me and no way to go, but through the sea. Chased by my own demons, bent on my destruction. I was so PISSED OFF at God. You have no idea how much. The last thing I wanted to do was to be the caretaker of my CRAZY mother. I had my own life to live, children to raise, and a baby on the way.

Frequently it is said, that God doesn't give us more than we are able to bear. Bull. I have found it to be that I am FREQUENTLY asked to bear more than I can handle, without God. With God..... that is a different story. Let us just say that I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!! Personal, huge ones!! I had to go to court and become the caretaker of my mother. And let me tell you, it has been a huge personal sacrifice!!! The hardest thing I have ever done. BUT!!!!!!, God healed me. I faced my own shit (if this offends you, sorry, but that is what it is and no other word will do) , got my head together, and I am well on my way to becoming the woman God intends me to be! That is a MIRACLE of epic proportions!!! Hallelujah!!!

Moving on. Why does God "hem us in?" I think that it is an act of love. Take Rogue for example. There is a hem on the bottom and on the sleeves. I don't HAVE to hem them. They will just have an grossly, ugly curl at the bottom. So..... I suck it up and hem. And the results are beautiful. God hemmed me in to face my own demons. The results are beautiful.

I'll leave you with this Psalm:
O, Lord, you have searched me
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O Lord.

You hem me in-behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go to flee from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed int he depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths
of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts,
O God!
How vast the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I am awake,
I am still with you.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:1-18 and 23-24

Not a witty day

Well, today I began the war with moths. Actually, it is a preemptive strike. A prescription of hot water, Euclan woolwash in lavender, and a spin out cycle. Then off to the boxwood for a day, laying out in the sun.

Say, I wish someone would do that for me. Clean me up, and lay me out. Wouldn't that be a welcome change. I would add one thing though. A wonderful dinner hot and put before me. Bliss.

I am having a ball with rogue. Here is the side cable detail. I am soooooo glad that did the cable cap first. I really thought she would be harder, but maybe that is to come later. I think doing the cap first took some of my 'Rogue' anxiety away.


Here's a blurry shot of the kangaroo pocket in progress.

The sad thing is that I will not be able to wear Rogue until next October. I can't seem to make the switch to summer type knitting. I am really hung up on sweaters. Maybe because it is just recently that I can make them fit (due to an evil known as gauge).

The summer of socks is not quite in full swing. I have to finish Rogue and DH's Ecowool Raglan.

Not very witty today. Just knitting. Hope you are enjoying the beautiful day. Catie

Edit on Wednesday: The moths I DO have are the mealy moths that you get from the grocery store. Thank you for all your kind concern. The washing is the puttting away of wool for the summer to PREVENT an infestation. I understand that the larvae like the dirt, bo, and food that collects on wool and that is what they eat, destroying the fiber in the process.

Time to Knit

Many friends and acquaintances ask me, " How do you have time to knit?" The answer is simple. I can't afford NOT to knit. My question to non-knitters is 'What do you do when you sit?' The question people should ask is : 'Catie, why don't you knit more?' Or people ask: 'Isn't it expensive?' Not as expensive as travel and more satisfying because I can do it everyday. I can take it with me when I travel or buy yarn THERE and have a keepsake that is crafted by a local and then enjoyed and created further by me.

I believe that we were born to create. Even if you are not an 'artist', so to speak, we create everyday. Meals, computer data entry, children, write, watercolor, clothes, putting together an ensemble etc...... I like this quote by Alice Starmore from her book Sweaters for Men: in the past "women knitted-constantly and with prolific output" pg. x. Women have been creating since the beginning of time. It is just recently that we consider working with our hands and creating 'a waste of time' or a frivolous hobby. Yikes. This is the post-modern age?

Here is a poem, by ME!!!

Knitting
I can't scrapbook and knit and talk or monitor kids.
I can't read and talk and monitor kids.

I can walk and knit.
I can talk and knit.

I can't cook and knit, but give me more time and I'll just might do it.

I can read and knit, I wish I could sleep and knit.
I can pray and knit, but not drive and knit.

Knitting keeps me busy, off the phone, and present in my home. Available to my kids should they have a need. Keep all of us warm and sometimes breezy. In short, knitting is good for the soul and family and woman kind.

Granny I am not.
Weird I am not.
Just a simple girl with a desire to keep busy and create and relax and visit with a fellow knitter.
That is why I knit.

On the Needles

Good Morning All!!! Before the day really got rolling, I thought I would take the time and show you what I have got On the Needles right now.

The purplish looking thing to the far left is the Ecowool Raglan for dh. It is actually grey and will be a simple 2x2 rib crew or v-neck. With me you never know. Andy loves ribbed fabrics (everything from t-shirts to skivvies, even my clothes) , so, he'll love this sweater. It is the EXACT color of his eyes. Steel Grey. The green is the beginning of Rogue. And the multi-colored, reddish stuff is the 2nd sock in the Koigu Odds and Ends socks.


Rogue is the most intense pattern that I will have attempted to date. I bought Knit picks Wool of the Andes for this project and I am unsure of the color, Heather Green. I am remembering back to how I felt about Miss Koigu and so I am pressing onward and figure that the green will grow on me.

BTW, there are 20 pages in the Rogue pattern. Check out all the pages to the right here. Those are just the CHART pages. This will NOT be a kid friendly pattern. Nobody, husband, or kid had better even think of speaking to me when I have this sweater out and in my hands!!


There, a picture of Rogue on the needles.








Would you believe that upon 3rd and 4th yarn yardage calculations, I am 50 yards shy of what I need? Yeesh. Gotta do another purchase. Maybe I will pick up another something or other. ha ha ha

Last but not least. I am a brand new sock knitter. Not to mention a gal who has BIG PROBLEMS with gauge. The sock on the right is about 25% too big. The sock of the left is the correct size, however, the cast off is a problem because it was a toe up sock. All you serious sock knitters who do Wendy Knits toe up sock pattern, how do you get the cast off edge to be comfortable? I am expecting tons of advice!!!!

I gotta go organize the day. Get the house clean for the Erev Shabbat meeting at our house tonight. Do school. And eat something eventually. Shalom friends in this Passover/Easter season. catie

Potty Training Marathon

My son has reverted to doing #2 in his big boy pants. The little man had finally gotten the hang of peeing and pooping in the potty. I should say, the little, portable potty. He is even dry all night long and empties his bladder upon awakening. I am greatly desiring to transition him to the BIG KAHUNA potty. Well, he doesn't like it. Not one little bit. I however, am a persevering sort. Not to mention determined not to have to wipe out any more poopy bowls than I have to. But, the argument could be, don't you HATE cleaning out poopy pants? Yeah, the pants are much worse. But I am betting that he doesn't like having that mess right up next to his sweet little cheeks. He just turned 3 on Tuesday and we will see who has more will power. Him or me? (I bet y'all are all putting your money on him aren't you?)

Other than focusing on the final stage of potty training, I have been very busy.

On the homeschooling front: I quizzed dd#2 on her letters and *gasp* she only knows half of them. I have been working on them half heartedly with her all year. The good news is that SHE WILL LEARN THEM eventually. Just a matter of time, and her mother refocusing back on Kindergarten. DD#1 , is doing well. She did 2 pages of her language arts wb today, ALL BY HERSELF. That means she did all the reading etc, by herself. That is a real milestone for me, as I have always had to hold her hand in them for the past year. The little man, well, he just disturbs us as much as possible. I figure the girls will teach him to read when the time comes!!

On the decluttering front: Nothing. Stalled. Except I have plans. I am going to clean out the girls toys. I have so many little, little girl toys, they don't have room for big girl toys. So, dear sil moving from Spain, they are coming your way!!!

On the gardening front: Me and the girls have started 30 tomato plants from seed. We also started nasturtiums, marigold, and loads of basil. Andy pulled out a bunch of sod and will borrow a tiller to make garden space. I can hardly wait. Fresh tomatoes and basil in August, here we come!! Haven't had a garden since we begun child bearing.

On the reading front: Nothing worth mentioning. Not even the Bible.

On the knitting front: Rogue's hem is cast on and one row of the hem is done. The odds and ends Koigu socks are butt ugly, but I love 'em. I didn't put much thought into the color mixing. Random. Andy's sweater is much neglected, but is good mindless knitting. It'll get knit on when we go to the beach in April.

What a long post. Not even a picture or 2. Hope you are all well. cate

Gauge and Toe Up Socks

I HATE doing gauge!! I finally got the yarn from Knitpicks for Rogue. The pattern calls for 4.5/in and I got 5/in on size 6 needles FLAT. Then, I have to see what my gauge is in the round. I shouldn't complain, at least I love to knit.

Still working on the Wendy Knits toe up sock pattern. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that pattern. I wasn't sure when I first saw Sallee and Nikki's examples, but after I cast on and experienced for myself the wonder and the majesty (ok, ok, I'll wax a little less goofy) of the brilliance of this pattern .... not to mention the simplicity, I was sold. side note: for all you grammar gurus out there, please ignore the grammatical inconsistencies in my writing.

Well, my kids are terrified of the thunder we are currently experiencing. So, I need to go and make sure that they are safe and sound, not to mention that I should unplug my puter.

Later, catie

A new friend has arrived!!

Miss Koigu has arrived. She has been waiting for her debut. She has covered sick children, watched husband dig garden, watched me vacuum, warmed me as I had an early morning on the porch and has been a pleasure to have around the house.

I thought she was going to be more of a 'formal' visitor of the household, but it turns out that she is homey and warm and fits right into this home filled with children, school, food, playing outside and general messiness. She is not going to visit, but be a working member.

I thought she would only come out to church or dates with husband, but she wants to be an integral part of our home at all times. She wants to see and be seen in our daily lives. In short, she is going to get dirty with the rest of us.

Welcome Miss Koigu. I am glad you are here.

What's For Dinner, Ma?

It is 3:07, and I had just signed off the computer. Fruitlessly, looking for something new in the knitting world to excite me. The kids had been put in room time, and I walked into the kitchen to begin the daily question of "WHAT AM I GOING TO FIX FOR DINNER?"

Now, if you have ever talked to me on the phone, and are female (yes, I know men cook too), then I have probably asked you in the beginning of the closing of the conversation: "What are YOU going to fix for dinner?" Why do I ask that? I think it is because I am a foodie at heart and I get bored with my own ideas and maybe you are having something scrumptious and I might ditch my idea and do a riff on your idea.

What I have in the house is limited. The freezer had no inspiration for me. I located some leftover chicken from the roast I had done earlier in the week and finally, I got it. Creamed chicken over rice. The creamed chicken will have caramelized onions, chunks of garlic, roux, thickened with chix stock and heavy cream. Plenty of salt and pepper. Finished with a little sherry. Fragrant, basmati rice. Peas or broccoli from the freezer with be my attempt at nutrition.

I thought of my mother. Mom was NOT a cook. We had no money to eat out, so she had to feed us with something. Here is the VERY limited list of what I remember her cooking:

1) Frozen cod poached (ahem, baked until it was like cardboard) in milk.
2) Spaghetti (from scratch, no onions, no peppers, I don't know what it had in it)
3) Liver and onions (the meal from hell)
4) Poppy Seed Chicken (actually, my favorite. I occasionally make it today)
5) Chipped Beef Gravy over toast (very salty)
6) Sausage Gravy and Biscuits (canned biscuits, no wonder I have bowel issues)
7) Poached Eggs over Collards (God save us)
8) Vienna sausages (What are those anyway?)
9) Hot Dogs (probably my favorite meal)
10) Frozen Burritos (my brother's favorite)
11) Mac and Chee (elbow mac layered with shredded cheese and filled to the rim with milk. Bake till set)

Makes me wonder what my kids will say about my food.

I was never hungry. I grew up VERY healthy. I have nothing to complain about. Thanx mom for feeding me.

My husband treated me to new makeup last Saturday. Makeup is like candy to girls. We love it and it only lasts a short while. I was due. I got dressed this am and was playing with it a bit. Gorgeous plum eyeliner and cool trio of eye shadow, pretty all over face powder in the shape of a chrysanthemum, Berrylicious lipstick with matching gloss, and new mascara that LIFTS and PLUMPS.

I had gotten it all on and was looking 'mighty fine' if I may say so myself. All that for..... Roanoke Gas Co. men. I am 35 yo with 3 kids at home with me AT ALL TIMES and at least 20lbs overweight. Makeup makes a serious difference for a gal like me. At least one of them was lascivious enough to check me out. Kind of flattering (boy, I am getting old, I remember when that used to offend me). To top it off had a t-shirt made of cotton and Lycra in it. Bad choice. Whoa to us with love handles.


So, I spent the ENTIRE day multi-tasking. We did NO school because of the symphony of jackhammers, dump trucks, trencher backhoes, and some thing that pats down dirt real good.

Here is my list:

1) Knit Koigu Keepsake shawl while keeping Ethan, ds, from getting into the men's way.
2) Prepare to see Dixigirl at Barnes and Noble tonight while keeping Ethan from mortal injury.
3) Make list for grocery store while explaining to Ethan that "No, he can't help the big machines."
4) Try to spin a little while keeping Ethan from certain death ala jackhammer
.

proceeded to multi-task even after RGCo. left

4) Bribe children into goodness at Kroger with chocolate bunnies
5) Bribe children into room time with chocolate bunnies
6) Cook dinner while uploading these 5 pix to Blogger


All in all, my day went completely NOT according to plan. Oh well. At least Koigu got more rows than she usually would have.

The Carding Machine

Andy is a carding machine. Really. He spent 4 hours on Saturday afternoon to evening, doing nothing but finishing up 'Brother.' Now, it is up to me to finish blending it with the other colors to complete the sweater I am dreaming of.

I was complaining to Tanya, that the batts are spinning up thicker than I had wanted. It is a VERY bulky yarn. I have no idea when I am going to be able to spin even a light worsted or sport weight yarn. Yeesh.

Andy is working on the basement cabinetry that my grandfather fashioned with his own hands sometime in the 40's or 50's. He was an amateur furniture maker. I still have some of his creations. The most famous kind would be the fiddlers benches that he made. They are a foot stool in the shape of .... what else, a fiddle. I called him Pop and he scared me to death as a child. Gruff.




I am starting to panic a little bit. For several reasons:

1) Brother's yarn is going to make a large, warm bulky sweater. In my inexperience, I was thinking of something with a little more, I don't know, dare I say, sexiness? Sexy it will not be. However, warm, durable, and possibly weather proof. Yes, definitely. Now, what pattern should I use?

2) I have almost nothing on the needles. I absolutely THRIVE on variety and get bored easily. That is why I switch around so much. Andy continually remarks on how I read more than 1 book at a time. Well, doesn't everybody? That only makes sense. I can keep up with a lot of things going at the same time and still remain perfectly charming. Or at least I think so. This is probably not actually the case. Just wishful thinking from and ADD mother of 3.

3) I ordered 1400 yard of Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in Forest Heather. It is only $1.99/ball. That means Rogue is only going to cost about $25. Usually, I would be ecstatic. I am concerned about the texture. Am I going to be covered in itchys all next fall/winter? I sure hope not. I intend to wear it NO MATTER WHAT!

4) DD #2, has taken to reading like a duck to water. Normally, I would be so pleased I would feed her nothing but chocolate cake for a week. But, dd #1, is clipping along at a slow but steady pace. I am reminded just now of the tortoise and the hare. Maybe it will be OK.

Well, enough panicking and should go take care of the Carding Machine's dinner. Later, catie

You gotta serve somebody-Bob Dylan

Friends. What is a good friend? Is it someone you do for, or who does for you?

This is an afghan from a good friend of mine. Carol, the one who is learning to knit. Her mil is old and can't finish this afghan, so she gave it to me. She wanted to find a good home for it. Well...... I am not really into Red Heart acrylic, but maybe one of you darling knitters out there knows of someone who needs and can finish a beautiful throw.

Carol also has given me a pot of daffodils. Daffys are my favorite flower. I have another friend named Ann, she is childless and single, who has adopted us as her Roanoke family. If she even finds out we are ill, such as when we had the dynamic duos of flu (respiratory and the OTHER), she is the 1st to go to Panera Bread and buy us chicken soup and baguette.

I aspire to be a good friend to people. Not just the casual kind. Arranging food for people, going to the hospital with them in a health crisis, fixing a simple meal for someone sick or with a new baby. I feel like this is what God has called me to do in this lifetime. Share myself with others what He has given me.

I have lost a friend recently, and so thoughts of what friendship is weigh heavily on me. What do you do when something happens in a friendship? When there is disagreement? I don't have the wisdom for that and I continually pray for the grace to be a friend. A real friend. A real friend lays down their life for the one they love. Laying down a life can look different than just making sure everybody 'feels OK'. Laying down a life is sacrifice. Sacrifice means losing something. The loss can be money, time, a reputation, respect of others...... Some of you out there REALLY know what I mean. What is the cost of real love? What is real love? Romance? No, laying down your life for your friend. The best example I have is Jesus (you say 'Not Again!!' , I can almost hear you). Check it out....

"Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end." John 13:1 Then he girded his loins, washed their feet, and took their sin to the cross and nailed it there. That is a friend. A friend pays your bill for you.

So, consider these rhetorical questions. Just think about them. Who do you love? Who do you serve? Who would you spend your last night of earthly life with? Would you serve them that night, or expect them to serve you? Serious stuff for a fluffy knitting blog. cate

shhhhh, I'm gonna talk about money

Believe it or not, I am not angry in the picture of self. I was trying to knit, pose, and teach 7yo dd how to use the digital camera at the same time.

It was such a beautiful day, I had to give it a try. The hat makes me feel like 'lady of the manor' , which is soooooooo not me. I am working on the Chestnut Raglan for my 3yo ds. It SHOULD fit him for 2 years or so, I am hoping. Kids DO grow like weeds, I know.

I am having quite a day. I am trying not to worry about events in life, but it is HARD! On the top of the list is the usual offender, money. Our money and, since I am the conservator of Mom's estate, her money. Andy is talking about refinancing the house, I think it is a GREAT idea. I'll keep you posted. I also have to drop some money at Once Upon a Child on spring clothes for the girls. That always sneaks up on me. Thankfully, a couple friends have given me enough clothes for ds for the spring, but we shall see.

Mom is having multiple health problems. She's had them forever, but still. The constant drain on her finances IS going to catch up to her sooner or later. At the risk of sounding callous, she is in TERRIBLE health, extremely unhappy.......... I just can't even speak what I am thinking, much less write it. (BTW, this is a shameful confession of mine, please be kind). She has advanced cardiovascular disease do to smoking and some new research tells us that teeth problems go along with heart disease. All that to say, mom needs her teeth worked on and the dentist has to consult with mom's vascular doc to do it. On top of all that, the medicare insurance co. had dropped her. She is costing them too much money, tell me about it. The good news, is that after she spends a certain amt of her own money, they will pick her back up again (0r so I hear). Getting old and being in bad health is a costly business.



Look at these beautiful daffy's. That is what we call them around here. They are my favorite flower. My good friend, Carol Croy, bought them for me. Just because. I have been teaching her to knit, and she is a natural. I already told you that I talked her into making her 2nd project a simple raglan cardy. Looks great. I'll photograph it and post it after I see her on Friday. I just taught her to use dp's on Sunday.

I am in desperate need of some fun today. Any ideas, besides knitting and spinning? Hope you are all well and enjoying the weather.

Before I forget, the Tea Rose Halter Top in 3 ply Alpaca Silk is an ABYSMAL FAILURE. Oh well. In the words of Robin, IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, FROG IT AND START OVER. If I frog that thing, I am gonna burn it. Hey Dixigirl, maybe we could work out a trade on some sweet apple green yarn for your friend's baby? Hmm, let me know. I have at least 2 fresh skeins if not 3, and 8 in the halter itself. Later, catie

Rise and Sock

Good Morning All!! I hope the new daylight savings time is suiting you all, ha.

The absolute best thing about Daylight Savings Time is that my dh comes home 1 hour earlier!!!! So, instead of 4:45, he comes home at what feels like 3:45. YES!!!!! Kids sleep in later too. So, my day is shortened by 2 hours!!! The only problem is the Fall Back. Yuck. Enough of that.

On to....knitting. With all the projects I have going on, I am already planning on others. Yeesh. I must be crazy. Not. Well..... This is going to be the Summer of Socks. Or SOS for short. I am in desperate need of socks. In fact, as I sit, blogging, I have one hand knitted sock in that German stuff with aloe and lanolin, on my left foot and a barefoot on my right. The foot with a sock, has a dropped stitch somewhere that I am gonna have to hunt down and fix. The other sock....... I am ashamed to tell you what happened to it. But since confession is good for the soul, here goes. I was knitting very pridefully away on the 2nd sock, did the heel turn, and thought since I am a pretty experienced knitter, I didn't need to refer to simple pattern to finish. I forgot to do the gusset *blush*. When I tried on 2nd sock, *(&^^%##$@!%$*(&^()*&. Embarrassment.

Socks are a new thing for me. But I am hooked. I am determined to be a dedicated sock knitter. I love the way my left foot feels and my poor right foot is calling for an intervention. "Why am I being left out, I am COLD". So, I am looking at all kind of sock yarn. Especially, Socks that Rock. I, unfortunately, was left out of their 2007 club. That will not be the case for 2008. I am also planning on using some of the Chestnut yarn that I spun to make a pair of socks as well. Just gotta get some strengthening thread.

Me and the kids are starting a new routine today. We are going to the library on 419 for school. We are meeting another homeschooling family and do it together. We will see how it goes as of my ds. So, gotta go. Have a great day. Catie

Saturday, 12:15pm. I am alone in my house. Small miracle. I should be using my time wisely. Alas.... I am not. I have been listening to music, praying, telling Jesus how much I love Him and need Him. Spinning. Reading a book. Eating and making iced coffee. Ahem.

I should be taking a shower and doing my hair, we have discussed this before, no need to do so again. I should be deciding on dinner and beginning prep. Ok, got the steak defrosting. I should be fixing lunch for the masses before they arrive back home from collecting free firewood. Any number of things. But, now I am spending time with YOU. I really do think about who reads this humble blog and I appreciate your returning to read again. You are on my mind and even though I don't know most of you, I pray for you. God knows you. So, consider yourself prayed for and loved by someone today. Is that weird enough for you?

Above is a picture of a new soft drink I found in my local Fresh Market. Jamaican Ginger Beer. Non-alcoholic. I have no idea how they make it, but it is sweetened with all kinds of fruit juices. Nothing like Schweppes's. Not sure if i really like it or not. But, thought I would pass it along because I thought it cute.

Speaking of cute..... Toesies painted with Opi's 'Oh to be 25 again....' nail polish in my newly, crochet decorated flip flops. Don't you love 'em? I do.

I really am a fluffy gal at times. The older I get the more I embrace my femininity. The girlier the better (within reason).

Last but not least...... What I have been doing when I am not doing what I SHOULD be doing. Koigu Keepsake, Brother carding and spinning, fluffy flips, and the handspun raglan for 3yo ds.


Masses have returned and I am the great unwashed. Gotta go jump in before I loose my window of opportunity. Later. cate

Have you ever thought about how much work it is to care for your body? Really, you work, at a job to care for that body. This really seems to be what life is all about. Caring for a physical body that grows and then begins to disintegrate. To put it simply.

I got up this morning, and the caring for physical bodies began. 1st, however, my java had to be acquired. Thankfully, dh, takes care of that for me and all I have to do is pour, add Splenda and 1/2 and 1/2. Knit a bit on Keepsake Shawl. Then, breakfast for the masses. Spin a bit. Then, off to school. By the time I was in the bath getting my own body ready for the day, it was 11am or so.

I even splurged a bit on myself and pumiced my feet, used a scrub and after I made lunch for
masses, applied the toenail polish you see here. The scrubbing is quite necessary because of the winter dryness. The pumice reveals much nicer skin.

The conveniences of modern life give me the ability to live in quiet luxury. Luxury? Surely not, you say. Well.... consider if I was born 100 years ago, romantic thought. I would probably have 10 children ( no bc not to mention the afore said children born at home with no pain killers, horrible thought) by now, and if I was a typical middle class gal, would have to do all the cooking (from scratch), make all my clothes ( I don't sew), and who knows what else. Ask Robin, she is a reenactor, she knows all about what a typical woman's life in some yesteryear was like. I would think that playing that way would be fun for a while, but Claire Randall and Jamie Frasier, I am not.

Think of all the work that has already been done for you. Just to rise and shine. Water-pumped right into your house, and away too!!!! Food-conveniently packaged and kept cool (no killing or harvesting by us necessary). Warm h20 for a bath. Hair dryer, makeup, deodorant, creams for every type of skin ailment-they work most of the time. Clothes-premade, usually. Knitting needles-standardized sizes. Computer-connect to the masses. Phone-talking to friends, no travel required. Yeesh, I could go on and on. My beloved grandmother saw the dawn of each of the modern conveniences.

Much to my shame, I don't really like doing all the niceties of caring for the body. They just take up too much of my day. The cleaning and grooming are a pain not to mention if you want to be stylish. And I do. I would rather be reading, spinning, knitting, playing with kids outside, or talking to you.

Even with all of these wonderful things, I still worry that I don't have enough. That my kids aren't healthy enough. Where will my kids go to college, will they measure up? Will I be able to care for my mother if she moves to Roanoke? How can I repair my relationship with my brother? Goodness, the 'what if's' are enough to have me running to the MD for some Xanax. That's why I like Jesus.

Jesus is one of those people I wish I could have followed around for a while. He sure got peoples attention. Dropped 'bomb' like statements that got people all stirred up all the time. Yet, he was a joyful man. All were drawn to Him. People don't like sour pusses. Masses of people followed Him around. I'll leave you with this quote, by the Man Himself:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet y our heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin......"

Sermon on the Mount, Jesus
Matthew 6:25

FYI: my homeschooled girls have just caught honeybees in Mason jars. Gotta go rescue the honey makers!!!!

MOSAIC!!

Finally went to Mosaic this past Saturday!!!!! YEE HAAWWW!!!! I love that place. I walked in and immediately was welcomed and treated so kindly. I hardly knew what to do with myself. I had gone up to Blacksburg with dh on a 'date day' away from the kids. We ate at some cool taco joint and he dropped me off at Mosaic. I was shopping for yarn for Rogue and gonna meet a new knitter friend (new knitter but old friend) to help her pick her 2nd project ever. I was there for a whole hour before Carol showed up. Me and Gina and the staff were talking away like old friends, I didn't know any of them.

I bought Cascades Ecowool in this color I am typing with. This was supposed to be for Rogue, but the gauge is wrong and the color is wrong. So, it is now a Raglan ribbed pullover for Andy (dh). The cool thing about Ecowool is that the colors are 100% natural and the yardage is INSANE!!! It has like 450 yards/$15 skein.

My friend, Carol, bought some gorgeous, hand dyed cotton yarn to make a simple raglan sweater. The book The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns is the book that made me a sweater knitter. Any yarn, any gauge can be turned into a sweater that fits. Granted, a simple sweater, but, a sweater nonetheless!!!! She can knit and purl already, all she has to do is learn how to use them in combination for a seed stitch border and a few decrease moves and she's a winner!!!!

I also started a raglan sweater for Ethan (ds) in my Chestnut handspun!!! Yet again, The Knitter's Handy........ Love that book!! Almost done with the body. Soon, dp's for the arms and in a matter of less than a week, presto * a handspun sweater is complete!! Diana, caught me in church yesterday, knitting with it.

THEN!!!!!!, I swatched some of my Blue Sky Alpaca in the Tea Rose Halter Top pattern this morning. Off to lys to buy needles, again. While I was there, my kids were being kids, and one of the ladies fussed at them. Oh well. Mosaic was so kid friendly. While I was there a toddler and a puppy were in there and no one fussed at them. So, I got that co and working this AM after finishing up Mia's standardized testing. The new needles and unusual knitting time was my reward for finishing up that horse hockey (excuse my language, but it really was what it was).

Well, I am full of knitting news. How bout y'all? Did anyone else co 3 new projects in the space of 3 days? I must be crazy!! I love multiple projects.

Gotta go plan dinner. Hamburgers and some kind of Hawaiian rice with hopefully some veggies. Have a great day. Thanx for reading. Go cast on something new. Catie

Hair and Fleece

Traditionally, I have been a 'less is more' kind of girl. Especially in the realm of hair. For example: I got my hair all cut off in the 7th grade, and spent most of my school career growing it back out to all one length and long. I was a romantic sort who dreamt of time traveling back to some era or other where I would need terribly long hair to fit in and be swept off my feet by some hero. This was during the 80's when mall hair was in fashion. Mile high hair. Big, big, big bangs. The bigger the better. Well, I have very fine hair. Let me just leave it that the 80's was not a good hair time for me.

I did try to fit in. I permed and did other unspeakable things to my hair (didn't know about teasing yet) to try to get the frizz that was required by my peers to be considered socially acceptable. I would put mousse in my hair. You remember the terrible stuff that made your hair stiff as straw. Then, I would use a red hot curling iron and spray Rave hairspray on it as I was cooking my hair. The smell was unforgettable. I really wanted hair that sort of looked like this. Fleece. Fluffy and gorgeous. Unfortunately, that curl would last only until I left the house.

My mother, of course, was horrified. She was a child of the 60's and everything was 'just so.' I remember my senior year, I was going for my portrait and mom and I had the biggest fight to date. She slicked my hair completely flat on my head and in a bun. A BUN. This is 1989 y'all. I wanted big hair. Huge hair. Curls. I was humiliated. *sigh* I am glad those days are over.

The 90's were better hair years for me. The style was flat. All one length and pulled back. I loved those years. I just let my hair grow and grow. By the time I was in the People's Republic of China, teaching English, my hair was to my waist. Not healthy, but long and I loved it. So did the Chinese. Long blonde hair in a culture of nothing but black hair. I attracted a lot of attention, not all welcome.

Recently, I have been unable to care for my hair. Due to the fact that I have 3 small, children and I hardly have time to eat much less 'do' my hair. Finally, I had so many tangles in it, I went to the St. Pierre salon in Salem and had a kid with hot pink, blonde, and black hair (Elaine) cut my hair to chin length. I even had the dreaded bangs cut back in. I haven't had them since 7th grade. I came home and my children were horrified and my dh tried to like it. I also found myself the proud owner of some new styling products. All of them to help my hair look 'artfully' arranged or rather 'artlessly' arranged. Who knows. Here is a list and description of them:

1) Rusk Mousse: I have to cover every hair on my head with this stuff. It provides max volume, body, and control. IE: a 'piece' effect with curl separation

2) Rusk BloFoam: Death defying volume applied at the roots for those of us who are 'texture' challenged. IE: hair follicle will be almost at a 90-45 degree angle from my scalp.

3) Rusk Wired: Flexible body and 'pliable' support as it creates texture. Creates gravity defying body. Eliminates frizz and maintains moisture with heat appliances. Contains Thermplex and texture from within. Here is list of ingredients in this product. #1 Wax (I use this in soap for very hard bars), #2 Castor Oil (I use this in soap and it makes huge white bubbles), #3 Alcohol, #4 Dimethicone (this ing has many applications, such as, curing colic in babies), #5 wheat protein (hey, we eat that), #6 rice protein (can't I get that at the co-op?) and last but not least various and other sundry petroleum products.

Do these products work? Yes and no. The bottom line is CONTROL!!! I washed and fixed my hair today in honor of the RV/spinknit night. It was really fluffy and now, it is not. At least it does not look like fleece and yet is not flat either. At least it doesn't look like my hair in my teens nor a place where rats would be comfortable abiding. So, I like my $30 worth of hair styling products.


Here is some of the fleece from above spun up. I had carded in some dark blue, Caribbean blue, and moss green. It reminds me of the John Will Creasy print that I inherited from my parents. Very wintry and cold. Love it. Started to knit some up to see if I want to continue. And, I think I do.