Lots of knitting!
Things are crazy busy here at Casa de la Cranky Teenagers. Work is chaotic. Home is well...normal for around here. The teenagers are cranky and the cats are nuts. I think I'm developing some kind of tic when I hear the Princess' blood curdling screeching. I mean yelling. I mean talking. Thanks for all the advice on the Star. Alison had a great suggestion of going to school for the day with him. Except one thing. I've done that. Yep. 8th grade. I didn't say a word, just sat with him during every class. His friend summed it up perfectly. "Dude, is that your mom?" "Yep." "Duuuudeee...that sucks!" He has been given the warning and next time, I'm gonna be a high school student for the day.
Sarah is going to make me a glittery shirt that says "Star's Mommy". Maybe I could bring my knitting?
There has been lots of knitting. You know, to keep me kind of sane.
A little progress on the Log Cabin Baby Blanket. It is kind of hot to work on right now. All that wool in my lap is a bit much. Also, some freaky thing is going on with the cats and the blanket and the yarn for it. No matter what bag I put it in, no matter how I secure the bag, the cats keep getting into it. I find the yarn all over the house and the blanket with it. No major damage, but they have never done this.
Not exactly my colors for a baby blanket, but my sister likes it and that is what counts.
I also want to make her several bibs and baby washcloths. So, the weekend before last I did just that. 2 of the bibs on the right are crocheted, the other 3 are knit. The washcloths are all knit. A little boring, but good for a movie. I finished a bib and a washcloth during one movie using one ball of Sugar 'n Cream. Not bad for $1, huh?
As I might have mentioned (ok,
Sarah is probably sick of it by now) I'm going to Alaska with my family in June. I've been wanting to knit
Cece for my step-mom for a long time now. I love her very much and as soon as I saw the pattern, I knew it would be perfect for her. So, I'm knitting it for her Christmas present to take on the cruise.
The yarn is from my stash (imagine that!) and is a very soft, almost icy looking green. It is a wonderful yarn by Red Heart called Cotton Twist that is discontinued. It is just like Cotton Ease, which I loved and is also discontinued. I loved how it knit up in my swatch. Very soft, a little drapey and nice stitch definition. If you knit it, watch that first row of the pattern after the ribbing. You have to really pay attention and double check your stitches by counting. That row sets up the lace pattern and if you get it wrong, you really should rip it out. Which I did. Twice.
I love knitting...it is really my little bit of peace in my crazy life.
Posted by Heather at 10:56 PM
283 days!
Sorry I haven't been posting, I can't believe how time flies! But...I have wonderful news!
Since I was in high school, I have dreamed of an Alaskan Cruise. When I was in Florida this summer, my sister-in-law suggested a family trip to Alaska. Did we want to go? Are you kidding?!? We may not be able to eat until then (good diet, right?), but we are going!! Both my brothers and their families, my parents and my family will leave for Alaska on June 1, 2007 for a 7 day cruise. I was so excited that when I was confirming everything I was crying. I'm such a dork.
Average temperatures in Chandler, Arizona in June? 68 - 104. Average temperatures in Juneau, Alaska in June? 46 - 62.
And you know what you have to wear when it is only 46 - 62 degrees? Sweaters!!! See, I knew my stash would come in handy!
Posted by Heather at 3:49 PM
Calgon, take me away
Someone out there, please explain something to me. Please. Yesterday was the 7th day of school. 7th. How is it that my darling son already has between 4 - 6 tardies in EACH class and skipped History ON THE SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL?!?!?
And how, after being grounded off the computer last weekend (during the school year they can only use it on weekends) for being tardy nearly every day in 3 classes (that I knew about until last night) and being told that if was tardy again he would be grounded for the weekend from going out (hence him not seeing his new girlfriend. Sorry, not new, they celebrate their anniversary today. 1 month. Ahem.), he wound up being late to several classes. And found himself sweeping the halls at school as punishment?
Last night was open house. How embarassing to be pulled aside by 3 teachers to be talked about his attendance issues. I am so freaking over this.
The bright spot in my week was receiving a wonderful package from my Secret Pal. There would be pictures if I wasn't having to ground said teenager last night. Who is surprised and pissed off that he is being grounded.
I'm going to survive the next 2 years, right? Right?
Posted by Heather at 9:13 AM
Oh happy day
ETA - Sorry if you seeing this twice, blogger is acting like a cranky teenager.You may want to skip this if you either, 1) don't like football (I don't know how that could be possible, though) or 2) only want to see yarn related stuff (that's ok, too). But then you'd miss one of the happiest days (albeit filled with frustration) I've had in a long time.
Saturday I got to see my Steelers up close. I almost cried. I almost got into a fight, too, but we'll skip that part.
They played the
embarrassment to the NFL, almost as bad as the Cowgirls Cardinals for a preseason game in their new stadium - affectionately nicknamed
gag The Nest (Good God people, this is FOOTBALL. "The Nest"?!? Want some juice and cookies to watch the game, too?) Now, while the outside of the stadium looks like a freaking spaceship, the inside is amazing.
Concession stand lines were horrible. It took Brian AN HOUR to get food. Missing the 2nd quarter and halftime. He was so pissed.
The best part of the game? Now while we had awesome seats, with 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter we knew we could do better. So, we ran over to the other side of the stadium to get closer.
Close enough to tell them I loved them (yea, I did. I'm a dork.) and just about cry. I was SO happy.
Can ya tell?
Yea, we lost. But I didn't care. It's preseason. We played with our 3rd and 4th string. Our quarterback was alive and well (and wearing a helmet).
I love football. And for my 30th season, I love my Steelers.
Posted by Heather at 9:38 AM
More love!
Thank you so much for your kind comments and emails about the shawl. One thing I really don't like about blogger is that comments don't include email. Why?
I wore the Shawlette to knit with my friends last night and I think they loved it, too. Either that or they felt really sorry for me that I ventured out in the 105 degree heat with a merino wool shawl draped over my shoulders. No one said I was playing with a full deck anyway, so they probably weren't surprised.
I needed more Shawlette love, so I started another one.
I originally bought little reddish beads to use, but they really didn't show up at all and actually looked a little dull when the yarn was pulled through them. So, I'm using clear beads that give just a little sparkle. This way, the gorgeous Koigu is the star. As it should be, right?
I finished one of the Steelers socks at knitting, so I pulled out the Log Cabin baby blanket to work on.
It is really fun to work on, but a little warm. I have plenty of time to work on it. My sister is due in February.
Posted by Heather at 4:37 PM
So in love
I am so in love with this shawl. It fits perfectly, drapes perfectly and feels devine.
Drying was taking longer than I wanted to stay awake for (it was on the floor and I didn't trust the cats to not destroy it in my sleep), so we put a fan out and it dried really fast. So I could wear it to work, you know. Good thing I have my own AC in my office, huh? Thank you all very much for your kind comments. Brian is quite the keeper. I adore him :)
ETA: A HUGE thank you to Wendy at Cat Knits for the gorgeous Koigu that I won on a contest on her blog. Thanks again, Wendy!
Don't I look happy? Yea. It was 90 at 8am. Ugh.
Last week I won a puppy naming contest over at my friend
Bliss' blog. You have to go take a look at her newest puppy. So cute! I was really hoping I won the puppy, but this is pretty darn good.
Lorna's Laces sock yarn in so-perfect-for-me colors and a sock blocker keychain! Isn't that cute? You knit a wee little sock for the blocker and it becomes your keychain. I think I'll leave myself a little of the Steelers sock yarn for that. Thanks again, Bliss!!
In case you are keeping track of the reasons the Princess hates me, I have an updated list for you. I don't let her do "anything" including the following: wear skirts so short you can see her crotch, get fake nails, get her hair highlighted, get a belly button ring and let her go wherever she wants, whenever she wants without having to ask permission. And I won't buy the $22,000 new car when she turns 16.
I am truly "a horrible mother". Gee, I didn't know my eyes could roll that far back in my head.
Posted by Heather at 9:42 AM
Finished!
This is why I have the best husband in the world.
Blocking is so hard for me. I always have a hard time making everything even and this shawl had to be blocked a certain way. And crawling around the floor is even harder for me. Brian is great at blocking! Who knew?
A closeup of the stitches and beads.
I really love this shawl. The pattern is easy and very well written. The beads are put on with a crochet hook every 4th row. A little time consuming and kind of tough on the pads of my fingers. They are subtle and add just a bit of shimmer to the shawl.
Hopefully it will be dry by bedtime (gotta love the dry air here!) and I'll wear it to SnB tomorrow night. I don't care that it will be 105, I'll look great!
Posted by Heather at 8:37 PM
Nighttime musings
Know what this is?
This is what me running out of yarn with about 25 stitches left to bind off looks like. This would be
after doing one less repeat of the beaded rows.
Can you hear me screaming? No? Hmmm...maybe that is just in my head.
Do you know what tomorrow is? That would be the first day of school for the teenagers. Also known as the most wonderful day of the year. Because they are both being a joy right now. Lucky me. One hates me again and they have joined forces against the parental units of the
insane asylum house. So not good.
I'm going to go rip rows and try not to dance down the street tomorrow morning. Heh. They would love that.
Posted by Heather at 12:30 AM
And ya'll thought I was nuts
Rememeber the
Beef Jerky post from last year? I know ya'll thought I had spent a few too many hours baking in the car and my brain was a bit dehydrated. But you were wrong.
Woman bakes cookies on dash of her vehicle
BEDFORD, N.H. - Blistering heat was just what Sandi Fontaine needed to bake cookies for her co-workers - on the dash of her Toyota Rav4.
With temperatures soaring Wednesday, Fontaine placed two trays of cookie dough on the dashboard, shut the doors and retreated inside to her air conditioned office.
"My husband wanted me to run some errands this morning," said Fontaine. "I said, 'I can't. I'm baking cookies.' "
Fontaine first tested her dashboard oven three years ago. She said the only requirement is for the outside temperature to be at least 95 degrees, so it will rise to about 200 degrees in the car. Temperatures in the area reached the mid- to upper 90s on Wednesday.
"When you open the door to that car," she said, "it's like, oh my God. It's a wonderful smell."
Obviously my only issue (for this, there are so many other things I have issues about. Hush, Sarah.)was the
type of food I was thinking about cooking.
Mmmm...fresh baked cookies in the car. There is an air freshner I could get used to.
Posted by Heather at 1:52 PM
