As we speak my suitcase is just about ready to be zipped shut. I have all my writing stuff, my knitting stuff, my printer, books loaded on my Kindle, tea-making stuff, the case ready to receive this here laptop are all on the bed behind me. I need to get dressed, grab a carton of yogurt and a banana for tomorrow's breakfast, kiss Durwood goodbye and I'M OFF! Not that I'm excited or anything.
I realized yesterday how very tired I am of knitting the same things lately so I took my incipient sock project and something out of the "onsies" bag to knitting last night and cast them on. Getting the Inside-Outside Scarf started took some concentration (and a few rip-out and restarts) so that's well started. You're supposed to use two of the same color yarn with long color changes and start at one end of the skein with one and the other with the other so the color changes cross but I don't have any suitable yarn like that (and I am not buying any) but I do have these two different colors of the same yarn so I'm putting them together. The darker one has more dramatic color changes and the lighter one's changes are more subtle. I think I'll like it--or somebody will.
Casting on the sock took a few tries too, I don't know why, probably too much talking, so there're only 3 rounds of cuff but I'm going to like it even if it is blue because this is my favorite sock pattern.
September 24--H. Mark Weidman, Stunted Tree. Glenn stood swaying on the sun-blasted rocks. He'd drunk the last of his water an hour ago. Maybe it was two hours, maybe a millennium ago. His tongue felt too big for his mouth and he wasn't sweating. His clothes rasped his skin. They were crusted with salt from evaporated perspiration and dirt blown by the never-ending wind. There was a tree not far away. He thought it was a movie prop tree, maybe a Tolkien tree. It had tufts of unconnected branches and cast no shade. He swayed toward it. Maybe there was water nearby. He took a few steps and found himself sprawled across rocks hot enough to burn his already sun baked body.
Things aren't looking good for our hero, but things are looking great for me. I'm outta here. Talk to you next week.
--Barbara
Not me, that's who. This morning I went back to Joann's looking for the rest of that Asian print fabric so I might have enough to make the jacket for the class I signed up for on Craftsy. There were about 3 yards left so I figure I'm golden although it is a one-way print so cutting out will have to be very deliberate and well-planned. I can do it.
On the way from the front of the store back to the "value" fabrics (where I always shop) there was a rack of dishes with a 30% off sign. I glanced at them and there was a vibrantly colored dessert plate with a rooster on it. I checked what the price would be after the discount and decided I could afford some, so I sorted through the piles, discarding the butterfly (too frou-frou-y) and dragonfly (mmm, maybe but not today) plates and found one other rooster. I made them mine. I love the colors and I love the chickens, uh, roosters to be exact. They'll make eating smaller portions fun.
Another fabric that caught my eye the other night and wormed its way into my cart today is this linen-ish fabric with cranes and peonies on it. There's almost too much pink for my taste but the red, black and gold make it bearable. It's another one-way design but I've got the pattern cut out and it'll be great. I'll sew it a little oversize so I can wear it over a thin undershirt when it's colder. At least that's my plan. (may I say that I miss Hancock Fabrics, I'm very sorry they're closed)
Last night after supper I finished September Preemie Hat #2. I like the bright bold stripes, don't you?
September 23--Denny Collins, Smiling Couple #2. People gave them a year, maybe two, before their relationship broke up. They were too different, some people said. Others said they were too alike. Mitch and Vonnie didn't pay any attention to what people said, they just got on with their lives.
And that's when my brain decided to get on with sleeping. I spent most of today packing for my week up at The Clearing. I leave tomorrow, hopefully around 9 o'clock, so this is fair warning that I won't have internet for the next week and I might or might not bestir myself to take my laptop off campus into the "real" world so I can blog. Maybe I'll just closet myself in the peace of the woods and water and be back around October 1. I'll think of you, I promise. Oh, almost forgot my raincoat.
--Barbara
It's rainy and a little chilly (I don't mind the chilly part) but the maple tree in the front yard is undressing way before any other trees are even thinking about turning colors and losing their leaves. More proof of my theory that it's on its last limbs, I'm afraid. And it's my favorite tree.
I made some hat and warshrag progress yesterday before the POS computer decided to go haywire and not let the credit card machine work. I rebooted it and thought it was because of the massive Windows 10 upgrades that ground their way slowly onboard but the POS tech lady says she thinks the PC is on its way out. Arrgh. At least I don't have to buy a new one. I like how the hat and warshrag are turning out, though.
On my way home from work I swung into Joann Fabrics because they sent me a special coupon for 25% off my whole purchase, even sale items, that was only good through today. I had to spend it, I really did. I'm so happy with the way that shirt I made last weekend turned out that I wanted more knits to make more. I found some, mostly stripes, on the sale tables. Naturally the one I like best wasn't enough to make a shirt so I had to buy some plain white to do like I did with the first one, parts will be striped and parts will be white. Kind of goes with my mismatched socks, don't you think?
Last week when I went through Craftsy classes, putting the ones I liked on my wishlist to try to win five of them for free (I didn't win) I came across a couple classes teaching tricks to sew faster using garment industry techniques. I really was interested and thought about signing up but it was $50 and that's just too much. Well. Yesterday I got an email from Craftsy offering three of their classes for $20 and one of them was the sew faster, sew better one. I nearly broke a nail getting my credit card in there to buy it. At Joann's I found some fabric that might be perfect for making that jacket but I don't have the pattern yet so I didn't know how much to buy. I only bought 2 yds.which I know isn't enough for a jacket and I wasn't smart enough to think I should buy all that they had because of that 25% off coupon. Now I think I'll go back tomorrow, bite the bullet and buy the rest. It's only $7 a yard and there're probably not 3 yards left... maybe I'll stop on my way home today... just to make sure no one else buys it.
We have an avocado sprout. Finally. I noticed this tiny nubbin when I filled the jars this morning. Woohoo!
September 21--Denny Collins, Smiling Couple #1. Hack and Babe always said they were meant for each other. They made eyes at each other in study hall in high school. She loved the way one lock of wavy brown hair fell over his left eye when he concentrated. He thought her green eyes sparkled like emeralds in the dusty light that came through the high windows. They had one dance together at the end-of-the-school-year dance before their respective dates pulled them away.
I'm sure there's a lot more but I fell asleep. Gotta run to the chiro and get my bones rearranged, especially my left ankle. It's hurting like a son of a gun today.
--Barbara
No, I mean the sky. Well, I might have been a little foggy this morning but it passed.
I was happy to see this bluejay come to nab a peanut before the squirrels got them all.
Started September Preemie Hat #2 at work yesterday and cast on another Double Thick Dishcloth with that yarn from the crocheted cloth I frogged last week. I purely love these cloths. I'm so glad I found the free pattern.
Speaking of "found," I found Little Free Library #19 in my quest to spread my personal library all over the city. I had to dodge dump trucks and orange barrels to get to it but I put in three books and took two, one for me and one for the grandkids. I noticed that there's one in front of the Children's Museum downtown so maybe LC and I will have to check it out next time we visit and I should be sure to have a children's book or two ready to put in there. It's not too early for her to learn about sharing books.
September 20--Mel Lindstrom, Man with Big Smile. Carl finished his presentation, let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, and looked out over the audience. There was polite applause and most of the faces wore polite expressions but about halfway back on the left, one guy was smiling so bit that Carl thought he must be halluncinating. His talk had been thoroughly researched and Lila had helped him polish it but he had no illusions about his delivery. He wasn't a dynamic speaker, never had been. He came from a long line of fairly boring people and, in his case, the apple hadn't fallen far from the tree.
And here it is nearly 9 o'clock at night and I'm just now blogging. I have no excuse.
--Barbara
It occurred to me that next week I'll need to get out of bed around 6 o'clock so I can yoga, shower, dress, and be at the breakfast table in the Lodge by 7:30 so I need to start practicing. This morning I leaped (well, not exactly leaped, more like staggered) out of bed when the alarm went off at 6:30. Got my lunches for the week organized and was yog-ing by 7:30. After that, breakfast while Durwood sat groggily holding his coffee mug, skimmed the paper, got my day's clothes out, showered, and now I'm speed-blogging so I can leave for work in about 10 minutes.
There was a pair of bluejays nibbling the suet and getting drinks this morning but bluejays are such hit-and-run birds it's nearly impossible to get their picture if you're not sitting there with the camera in your hand. I got this one up in the apple tree wiping some suet off his beak just before flying away with a squawk.
Last night Durwood made Chicken with Roasted Red Grape and Wine sauce for supper. It's so good. The seasoning is Herbes de Provence. Have you ever used that? It has every herb but the kitchen sink in there, even lavender, and it's so good. I found a recipe for roasted sugar snap peas with fresh chives and a little sea salt. Yum. We followed the meal with a clementine each. Now that's supper.
After supper I went downstairs and zoomed through making that shirt I cut out last week. All I have left to do is hem the sleeves and bottom and that shouldn't take any time at all. Cute, eh? I can see that this pattern's going to get used a lot. I think I'll buy another copy when they're on sale next so I can draw off the next smaller size because the sizes overlap, especially the neckline, they're not necessarily nested.
September 19--Mel Lindstrom, Sleeping Man. Nan looked away from her book at Doug asleep beside her. He was smiling. Smiling the sweet smile that she hadn't seen in years. She wondered what he was dreaming about. Her first thought was of her beagle, Peggy, who used to woof and twitch her paws as she slept. Dad said she was dreaming about chasing rabbits. Doug didn't chase rabbits, she knew that for sure, he didn't chase anything. He hadn't really chased her. She joked that she'd run slow enough for him to catch her but the truth was she'd kind of chased him, making him think he'd been the aggressor. She realized she was smiling, too. She poked her glasses up on her nose and went back to her book. This late hour was no time for extemporaneous smiling.
Okey-dokey, photos, spellcheck, Publish, and go. Bye.
--Barbara
Somehow lately mornings have gotten away from me. I think it's because I've taken to reading the newspaper after doing yoga when I used to blog. Anyway, here I am with only a little bit to say, a couple pictures of hardly anything, and a long grocery list calling out to me, so I'll try to be quick.
Dad's rose is still a-bloom. This cluster of three is just about on its last petals. I'm happy to say that Japanese beetles never arrived to chew them up. (watch, now they'll come out of the woodwork to make a liar out of me) One rose cane is aiming for the stars. See how it's already above the gutter? Amazing.
Below and behind Dad's rose are the little purple mums. They really are purple despite how the camera flash bleaches them out. I used to have a whole row of mums along the house in five or six different colors but the rest of them all died out. Guess I need to start over. I really like the dark red ones and the coppery bronze ones.
This morning I busied myself fixing food for this week's three work lunches. That's right, three. I get to work tomorrow because Mrs. Boss is off in Florida. I don't know if she's visiting Mickey or soaking her head on a week's worth of SCUBA dives, all I know is that she's not here so I get to work. I found a WW recipe for "classic" chicken salad to use up the last of the chicken I roasted on the grill last weekend. It looks pretty classic to me and it has lots of mustard in it, just like I like. I made sugar-free orange gelatin with mandarin oranges in it for my serving of fruit. One of the things I really like about this new Smart Points version of WW is all fruits and all veggies are 0 points per serving. I'm sure if you ate an entire watermelon you'd accrue some points but in reasonable quantities you can eat veggies and fruit for free. Yay!
And that's it. I didn't write last night, just didn't feel like it, so I turned out the light and zonked. Time to slap on a few photos, change the font to one I like better, press Publish, and head out for the market. Toodle-oo.
--Barbara
I had big plans for big accomplishments today, I really did, but I slept until almost 9 o'clock and didn't really get moving, accomplishing things until after noon. I did yoga and paged through the paper. I crocheted loops for these four "training" socks that I'm repurposing for an Advent garland and sorted through the bin of yarnings in the living room.
I sewed the leaf onto September Preemie Hat #1. Isn't it pretty? I imagine a tiny sleeping diva wearing it.
I meant to sew on that shirt I cut out at work the other day but ended up finally re-cutting and sewing the swim bottoms for LC. It's not right. I'm going to rip out the waist elastic, make a casing, and then thread the elastic through it. Maybe that'll help. Maybe someday I can find a pattern for these so they'll turn out and not have to make them up and end up with an unsatisfactory result.
I did get all the laundry done though. Not carried up, folded, and put away but washed and dried anyway. I'll carry up the hanging clothes and the basket so Durwood can fold on Monday. Laundry's a team sport around here.
Oh, and I frogged the yoga sock at Knitting last night. It wasn't right. At least I was smart enough to realize that before I'd knitted a whole sock, cut the yarn, and wove in the tails. Weaving in the tails makes it challenging to rip apart. I can do it, have done it, but it's an adventure in frustration and cussing.
September 17--Eric L. Klein. Jacob caught sight of her for only a minute as her car passed him. He stood waiting for the light to change when she drove by and smiled at him, looked him right in the eye. Her teeth were the whitest white against her coffee complexion and her hair was in a hundred tiny braids. He craned his neck to see where she went. He hoped she wasn't just passing through town.
I'm tired of dragging around, being in a funk, and a bit of a fog. I have high hopes that my coming week up in the woods will go far toward clearing things out.
--Barbara
I was excited to see the full moon (Corn Moon or Harvest Moon, depending on your tribe) last night walking outside from the Guild meeting. This is the first picture I took and when I looked at it just now I realized that I have a lot of "moons" in the frame. I kind of like it. It's like a puzzle.
A bad dream woke me at 6:05 this morning and I couldn't go back to sleep. I hate that, it colors my whole day. Aren't I too old for bad dreams?
I knitted on the yoga sock yesterday but I think it's too big around and just... wrong. This might be this pattern's third trip to the frog pond. Arrrgh. What was I thinking? I have got to throw that pattern away. I am never going to make them successfully and probably wouldn't like them or wear them much anyway.
The Guild members had the opportunity to sell some of their excess yarn at last night's meeting. Personally I didn't know there was such a thing as excess yarn so I didn't sort through my stash and bring things to try to sell. I even left my wallet in the car so I wouldn't be tempted but I caved. Only a dollar's worth but still. I can use it to make a hat or mittens to give away so it's a dollar well spent. Happily KW and my healthy snacks were a hit. There were even a couple cookies for me to bring home to Durwood.
September 16--Eric L. Klein. They looked like twins but they weren't even brothers, not related at all. Their mothers had been friends in grade school, drifted apart in high school, lost contact during their college days, and ended up living two blocks apart a thousand miles away from where they met. Cherry's son, Peter talked nonstop about Dennis from the first day of school.
And that's when my brain went, "nope, sorry no more" and the words just stopped. I'm all dressed and pretty soon I'm going to meet DS for my birthday lunch at HuHot. Yum, Asian food.
--Barbara
P.S. One week from tomorrow I leave for a week-long writing workshop at The Clearing almost to the tip of Door County. I should pack.
This is what happens when you let a squirrel plant things in your flower beds. See the spray of leafy branches among the ferns? That's a black walnut tree courtesy of one of the squirrels that frequent the feeders. I don't want it there but I don't want to just summarily uproot it and have it die. The last time a black walnut tree grew it was in one of my pots so I left it and then a squirrel gnawed it off at the soil line. You just can't win. Maybe I can think of a place to plant it where it'll be safe.
Nice clouds and light this morning. Part of me wishes I could wake up earlier so I'd have more time to take pretty sunup pictures but then my alarm is set for 6:30 and today I whammed the snooze a total of four times (I get 5 more minutes per wham) and still didn't get to my yoga mat until 8 o'clock. I don't like sleeping in anymore like I used to but it seems I do it anyway. Maybe I'll try going to bed closer to 10 o'clock than 11 o'clock.
I stayed up later last night because KW and I are in charge of bringing treats to Knitting Guild tonight and I thought it'd be a good idea to bring healthier stuff rather than the avalanche of sweets that usually is on offer. Don't get me wrong, I could happily start at one end of those treats and just shovel them in, but I'm trying to develop new, healthier eating habits so I'm going to impose them on the knitters tonight too. KW is stopping for a few dozen cookies to bring along for those resistant to our yummy dips. I've got Roasted Red Pepper Hummus & Green Pea Dip, which is like guacamole only made with frozen peas instead of avocado. KW's making White Bean Dip which has a whole head of roasted garlic in it. All of them are Weight Watchers recipes and they all don't taste like it one bit, at least in my opinion. I've got a whack of veggies to dip and have some blue corn chips and some rice crackers too. I hope people like our spread, otherwise Durwood and I will be eating lots of dip for the next who-knows-how-long.
Yesterday at work I knitted on September Preemie Hat #1 but before I knitted I set up one of the long tables stored in back of the wetsuits and used it to cut out a shirt so I can sew it up this weekend. This right here is one of the (many) reasons I have the best job. I didn't ignore the phone or any customers that came in but in between I could be in the back (which isn't very far from the front) laying out fabric, pinning on the pieces, then cutting them out and marking them. I didn't have enough of the light, floral fabric to cut the front and back so I cut the front and one sleeve from it and the back and the other sleeve from the black. The neck band will be black too because I was two inches short to cut it from the floral (even if I cheated and used the selvage, dang it).
I told Durwood this morning that I'd like to clone myself at least twice. I want to knit ALL the things, sew ALL the things, and work on my writing every day. He grunted. I think that means he doesn't have a lot of confidence in my ability to make that happen. Oh, and I want to quit my job but still get a paycheck so I don't have to drive all the way across town (4.8 miles) two days a week and waste valuable making time waiting on customers. What? I can whine if I want, even if I do have the best job. In the spirit of doing it ALL, I went downstairs for needles and yarn because I am determined to knit yoga socks someday and this might be the day/week I finally manage. I've only started and frogged one twice in the last 4 years. And, yes, I will make two, they won't match but there will be two.
September 15--Eric L. Klein. How could things be so great one day and completely awful the next? Yesterday they were happy, laughing at silly things, and this evening they had a terrible argument about something Sheila thought was insignificant. Who storms out after his wife says she's not crazy about his tie? Chuck, that's who. He never told her that the ugly maroon and gray tie with gold shields and prancing horses on it had been his grandfather's and had been given to him by his late mother. Sheila was sure she'd have a more mature reaction if he ever criticized on of her family heirlooms. Not that he ever would. All of her things were in perfect taste.
Okay, that's it for me. I need to send a couple sympathy cards and, of course, the mail carrier has already been and gone but tomorrow is another day. (Name that move character.) Off to address envelopes and figure out what to write. Man, sympathy cards are hard, aren't they?
--Barbara
I don't really have much to report. Yesterday was another dreary, drizzly day so I didn't get much accomplished worth talking about.
This morning's sky was looking pretty darned good. I love the corrugated look of the clouds. It's a lot cooler lately and I'm really liking that.
I got the dozen corn all grilled, shucked, wrapped, and frozen so the freezer is totally crammed full. Now we can hold out during the zombie invasion just fine because I have plenty of all food groups (except the ice cream group) well represented down there.
Got OJ's sun hat finished while icing my ankle last night. Now we just need a sunny day so I'll have an excuse to take him for a walk. I'm sure there will be one or two days like that available before the snow flies, plus it's a stretchy hat so it should fit him for a while, maybe even next spring.
I brought the basic shirt pattern and the two t-shirt knits to work today, along with pins, scissors, and marking paper so I can get a jump on my plan to sew this weekend. Tonight I have to whip up a couple dips because my friend KW and I are in charge of treats for Thursday's knitting guild meeting. I hopped over to Sam's last night for veggies to dip in the dips we're making. KW will pick up a few dozen cookies for those not interested in healthy snacking. It'll be awesome.
September 14--Bob Allen, Outside Images, #MTBKO-08704. Clay loved the fall. Loved the high blue sky that made the yellow aspen leaves look like doubloons. Loved how warm the water was in the stream he rode his bike through on his way down from the cabin, that would change as soon as the snow up the mountain melted in the spring. On ordinary days Clay looked like every other ex-ranch kid in his Wranglers, boots, and a snap-button shirt but on the weekends he wore space age spandex and rode his bike like most of his friends rode bucking horses.
Now I'm going into the back room to drag a long table out from against the wall behind the wesuits and set it up so I'll have lots of room to pin and cut. I should probably eat lunch too. Ciao.
--Barbara
Durwood had filled oxygen tanks delivered today by a new guy. He was friendly, had gray hair, and said he thought I looked familiar. We exchanged where we grew up and went to school and then he said, "But I'm in my 50s and you're in your 30s so we wouldn't have been in school together anyway." I had to grin. "No, no," I said, "I just turned 65." "You did not." He had a gratifyingly shocked look on his face. I told him what I tell everyone who says I look young. "Thanks, I married well." Implying that Durwood's taken such good care of me that I haven't aged. The poor man really should have his eyes checked.
This morning I was out filling the feeders and got royally scolded by this Downy Woodpecker. It sat up on the dead part of the apple tree and gave me what-for until it flew away. Guess I was too slow.
Out of a whole packet of seeds I have two nasturtium plants, one with yellow flowers and one with red-orange flowers. Next year I'll plant two packets and maybe I'll have four plants... I can only hope.
Between a doctor's appointment (my ankle's healing well, he said I'm ahead of expectations, and gave me some new strengthening exercises) and a dentist appointment (the filling took no time and hardly aches at all), I went to the fabric store. I was looking for a basic knit shirt pattern and some on-sale fabric to make one or two. Well, I found two patterns--one pretty basic and the other kind of stylish--both of which were 40% off but they're so overpriced to start with they were nearly $20 each but I bit the bullet and doled out some mad money. I found the dark red print knit fabric on a bolt; it was 30% off which made it still some of the most expensive fabric I've ever bought but I love it and it'll make an excellent shirt. The brighter print with the white background is a bolt end that isn't enough to make a whole shirt so I got the black t-shirt knit and will make the front
and a sleeve out of the print (if there's enough) and the back and other sleeve out of the black or the body in black and the sleeves in the print. If I trim the pattern tonight and cut out the fabric tomorrow night I can sew it next weekend and have a new me-made shirt to take to my writing week.
I decided that OJ needs a sun hat that stays at Meemaw's house when I ran across this yarn while getting things sorted last weekend. I started yesterday and maybe I can get it done this week too. Remember that start-itis I talked about last week? I think it's just a mild case. I still haven't started the sock.
September 12--Allan Laidman, Beach Runners. The sun struck gold on the tops of the wavelets that rushed onto shore at Fran's feet. She watched the sand swirl around her toes. The longer she stood there the more her feet sank into the sand. Tiny silver fish nibbled at green specks of algae tumbling across the shallows and she wondered if they'd take her feet for food but they didn't. The soft sound of the water on the sand made a counterpoint to the rattle of the palm fronds. There wasn't anything in her life to draw her back home. She thought she could find a job in a shop or office here on the island. She seemed to need less here, just a place to sleep, shower, and a small kitchen to make simple meals of fresh fish and vegetables. What would happen if she called her boss and told her she wouldn't be coming back after all?
Isn't that a tempting thought? I often dream of having nothing to do but what I want to do but I won't wish away my family or friends. Not really and not for long. Time to fire up the grill. When I told Durwood that the corn people said that Wednesday would be the last day for corn he suggested that we get a dozen and cook it on the grill, then freeze it so we can have corn long after the season passes. I stopped at the corn stand on my way home, the first 6 ears are soaking, and will take their turn on the fire just as soon as the coals are hot. Mmm, grilled sweet corn. Sorry to tempt and run but my mouth's watering.
--Barbara
Remember that I threatened the weather yesterday? That I expected it to straighten up and fly right so it isn't rainy or hot and humid when I go to The Clearing in 13 more days? Well, it listened. When I came upstairs to talk about supper around 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon the sun was making its move, shoving the clouds aside and drying things up. Today it's perfect, see? Sunny and warm and balmy. The humidity's still a little high but I don't expect perfection right away. I can be patient. For a while, anyway.
I did some online research and talked to a customer who came into the store wearing one and ordered me a Garmin Vivofit because all of the $6.95 pedometers I buy at Walmart are crap and I want to know how much I move around in a day. It's kind of picky about a person moving. If you sit still for an hour, like to read the Sunday paper, a red line appears across the top of the screen, and another segment pops up every 15 minutes. I had to walk around half of the block before the lines all disappeared. Oh... I see its evil plan... making the bed, dressing, even going up and down stairs a couple times didn't erase the red line... I had to put on my shoes and go outside and walk some. I did about half a mile but I'm trying to wait to do too much walking until my new, stability walker shoes and new orthotics arrive so I'm supporting my ankle tendons, etc. the right way. I'm sure a half-mile jaunt around part of the block won't do too much damage. Take my advice, don't break your ankle. Just don't.
It was probably good that I didn't get the Vivofit until after I'd spent the afternoon downstairs making note of where most of the rest of my yarn is stored because I was pretty much stationary most of that time. But I'm down to just the solid color cotton yarn bin and the "onesies" bag of projects ready to pick up and work on, and then I'll be done. I think. Maybe. Watch, I'll be grubbing around for something, books for LFLs or fabric to make into a shirt and I'll find more yarn that isn't "in the system." It's an ongoing crusade, but I'm determined to get on top of this before I croak.
When I was closing the window and shade before bed I saw the moon peeking through the trees. I had to go out into the street to find a gap in the leaves and I was hoping that there'd be leaf silhouettes at the edges of the frame but all I've got is a fuzzy white partial circle. Oh well, I like it anyway.
Instead of writing a prompt last night I caught up my Bullet Journal for Friday and yesterday. I've started making a little journal entry on the day's page instead of just making a list of chores and errands. I'm not all artsy and calligraphy-y like some I've seen but I like this and the small but terrible pictures I draw in there every once in a while.
Time to find something for lunch. Au revoir.
--Barbara
As we speak my suitcase is just about ready to be zipped shut. I have all my writing stuff, my knitting stuff, my printer, books loaded on my Kindle, tea-making stuff, the case ready to receive this here laptop are all on the bed behind me. I need to get dressed, grab a carton of yogurt and a banana for tomorrow's breakfast, kiss Durwood goodbye and I'M OFF! Not that I'm excited or anything.
I realized yesterday how very tired I am of knitting the same things lately so I took my incipient sock project and something out of the "onsies" bag to knitting last night and cast them on. Getting the Inside-Outside Scarf started took some concentration (and a few rip-out and restarts) so that's well started. You're supposed to use two of the same color yarn with long color changes and start at one end of the skein with one and the other with the other so the color changes cross but I don't have any suitable yarn like that (and I am not buying any) but I do have these two different colors of the same yarn so I'm putting them together. The darker one has more dramatic color changes and the lighter one's changes are more subtle. I think I'll like it--or somebody will.
Casting on the sock took a few tries too, I don't know why, probably too much talking, so there're only 3 rounds of cuff but I'm going to like it even if it is blue because this is my favorite sock pattern.
