and life goes on . . . I do another sock or two!

This past weekend I was thrilled to learn that our local rec center is re-instating the deep water aerobics classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The classes had been canceled during high school swim team season. My 16 year old isn't pleased in that she will be swimming before my classes and then (GASP) will have to wait until my class ends at 7:15; with my being showered and dressed and out by 7:30. My darlin' husband looked her straight in the eye and said "and we never wait for you?"

So, my new passion is socks.  I did finish the pair for Lindsey.  I have also almost finished two socks for Zachariah . . . please note that I did not say "pair." 

This is the one that I finished.  The sock that is.  LionBrand Sock-Ease.  Zachariah picked this yarn out.  He liked the color.

This sock is made with I think Lorna's Lace sock yarn . . . I guess I will have to find the yarn band.  I like this yarn sooooooo much better.  It is substantially softer.  I am doing the foot with a smaller needle.

Bella Mittens

Bella Mittens
Originally uploaded by mlj1954ohio

and they are done!

A sock and more

A sock on double pointed needles.

Ta da, two socks done on double pointed needles.

Look how nicely the pattern matches.

I do have to say that I am impressed.

And here are matching gloves:

well, actually, it is a glove . . . .

It is Lion Brand self-stripping sock yarn.  I have had it for years.  I think I'm in love. 

These are for Lindsey.  And the socks, by the way, fit!

And the socks are done too!

Bellamittens for Ravelympics

Great quote:

Life moves pretty fast. 

If you don't stop to look around once in a while,

you could miss it.

~Matthew Broderick as Ferris Buller in "Ferris Buller's Day Off."

Bellamittens for Ravelympics
Originally uploaded by mlj1954ohio

So, you see this. It is the WIP that I am going to finish for Ravelympics. I have to admit that I was impressed with how clever I was that I did remember to tag the cable with the size of the needle tip I was using. These are being made for Lindsey and the color is really more of a purple. I am on row 76 or 77 and need to finish this one and get the other one finished.

Lindsey went with Andrew to his Winter Formal on Sunday, February 14, 2010.  They had a great time. 

Aren't they cute.

On Monday, February 15, Lindsey and I went to Wooster College in Wooster, OH.  It is a very good school.  I think she would be happy there.  the student population is about 1,900.  It is a liberal arts college but has a partnership with a couple of other schools for the engineering which she desires to do.  We also met with the swimming and diving coaches. 

Later, much later, after dinner and after the discussion on the way home where she mentioned that she might want to go to Cincinnati or Akron . . . Andrew is interested in Akron and his brother goes to Cincinnati and he might want to go there too . . . we informed Lindz that whatever school she decides on it will not be the school that Andrew goes to.  Period.  WHAT?  WHY?  THAT's NOT FAIR.  As my husband pointed out to her, that the fact that she doesn't understand our reasoning is the main reason that we wouldn't allow.  STAMP!  POUT!  STAMP!  . . . mucho whispered conversations with Andrew.  Sigh (the sigh is mine).

Friday - lots of things happening - snow and Ravelympics

I woke up this morning to snow.  Again. 


Somewhere in this mess is my driveway.  Zachariah has a doctor's appointment at 10:15.  Lovely. 

On the upside, it has stopped snowing, the plows have gone up and down the street (we are blessed . . . our street has a bridge over a major interstate so we get the city plows, the county plows and the state plows).  It has also been salted.  The only issue is getting OUT.

Here is what my backyard looks like.  There is a pool there, somewhere.

The pool is just to the left of the shed.  The garden is just to the right of the shed.







Also, the Olympics start tonight and I have been lining up those things that I am going to be doing for Ravelympics which also begins tonight. 

I want to finish the BellaMittens first.  Here is a pic of the first one.  Note that the tips are missing from the cables.  BUT, you (and I) will happily note that I did tag the cables so that I know that I used a size 7 needle.

See the tag is right there.  The green thing is my row counter.  I am on the 79th row of this mitt and only have about 26 rows on this one and, oh yeah, the other one . . . I guess I should make two.

I am then going to make a hat.  The question is whether I will make Lindsey's hat (she wants a ear-flap hat).  I had made her a scarf last year and have enough yarn to make her a hat.  I had also promised another tobaggon hat to a friend's child. 

Snow, snow, snow

There is one good thing about snow,

it makes your lawn look as good as your neighbor's!

~Clyde Moore

An article from Forbes Magazine, dated February 5, states that:

"Our measures show that those in Cleveland experience the worst winter months. Located on the south shore of Lake Erie, the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has relatively mild summers but its winters require endurance. Cleveland gets hit by lake-effect snow, averaging almost 60 inches every winter and its frigid winters help produce an average annual temperature of only 50 degrees, 10 degrees below the 50-city average."

http://www.forbes.com/2010/02/05/weather-snow-storm-lifestyle-travel-winter-snowfall.html

This is of course, for major cities.  The important thing to note here is that we are followed by Boston and New York with Milwaukee coming in 4th.   Cleveland's stats are:

Average Annual Temperature: 49.6°F

Average Precipitation: 38.7 inches
Average Snowfall: 58.9 inches

The fun thing is that you can do anything with stats.  Our lows (like yesterday morning was 2 with a windchill that dropped it to 16 below) and in August, we often have weeks where the temp doesn't drop below 85.  Go figure.

I have to mention, however, that one of the things that Cleveland and its surrounding areas, do very well is clean up the snow.  We also sit on one of the largest salt mines in the world so the streets get scraped and salted. 

By the way, we did get dumped on over the weekend with about 10 inches in my yard.  There is also another storm heading our way and the weather gurus are anticipating another 4 to 8 inches, depending on where you live in conjunction to the Lake.

The upside is that it leaves for mucho knitting time.  You gotta find your happiness wherever you can find it!

Friday Fill In - February 5, 2010

Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open.

~ John Barrymore

1. I know I should go to bed early every evening, but there are books to be read and knitting to be done and I should exercise . . . .


2. January is the longest month and all  months should be no longer than 28 days.  Add another month is they have too.

3. You can't help but smile at babies.

4. Knitting socks; bring it on!

5. Where have you looked for happiness?

6. Patience is now available, in a medicine cabinet near you!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to nothing because tomorrow my plans include Market Day volunteering (at 6:30), Lindsey's OMEA competition at 8:50, Zachariah's swimming at 9:45, Lindsey's swimming practice at 1:00, Mass (Lindsey is playing and I am an EM) at 4:30 and I suppose THEY will want to be fed and Sunday, I want to rest, but I will be having lunch with Janet and will be adding beads to Sarah's dress and I think I will be making Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon for dinner (I watched Julia and Julie and have to say that I have been wanting to make this ever since)!

Several Days at once

I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.

~ Jennifer Yane

It has been a crazy week.  Crazy.  Zachariah was sick a couple of weeks ago.  There was a vicious flu that was going around and he got it with a passion, losing 5 pounds in one day.  He had been all the way up to 53 pounds and actually over the last two weeks has been down to as low as 46 and is finally back up to 48.  Sigh.  Anyway, Monday night he said "my ear hurts."  Okay.  So Dave and I talked about it and we decided that he needs to see the doctor.  I took him Tuesday afternoon.  No temperature.  No sore throat.  But both ears are badly infected, including the fact that the right one (not the one that hurt) was almost ready to rupture.  lovely.  On the other hand, sitting around at the doctor's and pharmacy and I took him to his favorite place in the world (the library), gave me mucho time to knit and I worked on and finished his cap (which I had started on Monday) and got most of one of the mittens done.  Of course, the yarn is bulky and the needles relatively large (size 7 for the ribbing and size 8 for the body).  Pics of the hat and mittens are below.  I am crocheting a scarf, lengthwise.  I find crocheting especially boring and doing short rows just make me crazed. 

I have almost finished Zachariah's scarf. I did finish his hat and mittens. Using my latest favorite yarn (Joann's Sensations . . . this is in denim).

I hate using dpns so I put off doing the final rows or so until I have to. The pic above doesn't have the cap nor the thumb done on the right mitten.

and here is where I am using the dpns to close up the thumb.

I have finished Janet's Lucy bag.  It is even felted.  Here is a pic of the unfelted bag:

The light green blob to the right is was to be a pocket.  It didn't shrink enough, so I am thinking about making it into a change purse to go along with the bag.

Of course, all of this needs to be done by Sunday.  Janet will be in Cleveland (coming from Dallas) and we are meeting for lunch.

This is another weekend coming up where we will be going from one place to another.  Market Day is Saturday morning (the 4th graders are to volunteer -- along with their parents -- we have to be there at 6:30 a.m.).  Lindsey has her OMEA (Ohio Music Educator's Association) competition at 8:50 a.m.  Zachariah has swimming at 9:45.  Lindsey has swim practice from 1 to 3.  We have 4:30 mass (Lindsey is playing the violin and I am an Eucharistic Minister).  Oh, and we are going to watch Groundhog Day on Saturday.  Gotta have some fun!

Friday Fill In - January 29, 2010

Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending!

~Anonymous

1. Wouldn't it be easy to just not bother to try to do your best . . . but then would you be happy . . . with yourself?

2. My marriage is better than ever!

3. I love the taste of warm cookies and a glass of milk.

4. Why is our Wii in the living room?

5. The first thing we're going to do is the taxes and then the beading and then . . . .

6. The faucet in the kithen drip, drip, drip; Dave refuses to fix it.  Makes me crazy.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to picking Lindsey up from swimming, taking her to Andrew's house, going home and eating dinner with Dave and Zachariah, tomorrow my plans include Zachariah's swimming lessons, a trip to the Library, going to Wooster for a swim meet, folding the laundry and Sunday, I want to go to 8:00 a.m. mass (its Catholic School's week and Zachariah is helping at 8:00 a.m. mass), breakfast with the family, working on our taxes and starting to bead Sarah's dress.

Sun is Shining!

Woo hoo, the sun is shining!  Of course its also 20 degrees, but the sun is shining. It has been so grey and dark lately that I turn on every light in my office in order to not get depressed.

Lindsey had violin lessons last evening as opposed to tonight.  Tonight she has a swim meet.  Usually, I knit while she is having her lessons.  I didn't knit last evening.  I frogged.  I frogged Zachariah mitten (note, I said mitten not mittens . . . almost had it finished but can't find the pattern, duh and only had one done).  I frogged my sampler scarf.  It seemed the best thing to do since I didn't like it.  It is a beautiful color and yarn (Knitpicks Andean Silk in Cranberry) but not enough really to do a scarf.  I can do a pair of fetchings and considering the fact that my office is usually around 64 degrees when I arrive in the morning, it would be a good thing . . . I do have a space heater but as soon as I turn it off the temp starts plummeting.  Or maybe I'll make a cowl. 

A friend pointed out the cloths by Kris Patay at KrisKnits.  Seriously, you all should check out her stuff and her blog.  She is an incredible artist.  I think I am going to make her heart cloth for valentine's day for Sarah and Kyle. 

The swim season for Lindsey is winding down.  I can hardly wait.  They have a meet tonight and one on Saturday and two next week.  That is it until the Sectionals which start on February 14.  Now, she has spent months swimming.  Months.  Most times, it was two hours a day for six days a week.  Over Christmas break, they swam four hours a day, every day, except for Christmas and New Year and on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, they only swam two hours.  And so, what is her concern, part of her hopes that she doesn't make sectionals because Andrew invited her to his school's winter formal and it is on February 14.  She is one of the top swimmers on her team and she is an idiot. 

Sock KAL

I have never finished a sock.  But Rachels Knitting Room is doing a sock KAL.  Right now we are working on the leg. 

Want to see how far I've gotten.

Oh, and the little notes on the sock show the beginning of the row (the pink marker) and the row counter (the white marker).  When you get to the white marker, you move it over one more stitch.  By moving the white marker each row, you can count the stitches between the pink and the white and know exactly how many rows you have knit.  This is good for lots of things not just socks.  My Mom would do it for sweaters.  Just by adding a "different" stitch marker and moving it every row. 

The yarn is Lorna's Lace, Shepherd Sport (100% superwash wool), Color No. 16, called Pioneer.  It is being knit on size 4 (U.S.).  Very nice yarn.

German or long-tail cast on

If you have ever wanted to know how to do a long-tail (or German) cast on, you need to check out this YouTube blurb by David from Knit Like a Man.com.

Seriously, check this out.

A contest at Knit Purl Gurl

Knit Kit Jewelry is the brain child of Joyce Goodman, designer, artist, knitter, and art jeweler. Joyce wanted a way to mesh her love of knitting and art jewelry to create simple, gorgeous kits for others to enjoy these mediums. And so Knit Kit Jewelry was born.


These interesting and beautiful kits allow knitters to explore new avenues in knitting. So even if you've NEVER created jewelry before, all you need are the basic knitting skills to create a gorgeous piece of your own.

Each bracelet kit comes complete with pattern, basic instructions for knitting with wire, wire, and clasps. All you need are your own knitting needles to get started. The wire that comes with each kit is copper coated for a comfortable experience and is available in a wide array of stunning colors, allowing the knitter to make each piece his/her own. As pictured above (left to right), there are three bracelet kits available: Buckle Bracelet, Ruched Cuff, and Regal Cuff.

If you want to enter Knit Purl Gurl's contest go here. 

And while I wish you luck, I hope I win!  LOL.

What a way to start the new year

I started off this year with a bang.  Our first day back to work went well.  Budgets, budgets and other budgeting issues (all having to be done by the 15th and having several office administrators putting things off to the last minute like, oh, I don't know, their budgets).

After lunch on the 4th, I didn't feel too well.  We were getting lots of snow and I got home right after Dave, Lindsey and Zachariah.  Of course, the first question out of everyone's mouth was "what's for dinner."  Sigh.  So, we had left overs.  We had crackers and cheese, potstickers, kielbasi.  I went to bed by 9:30 (the last one to hit the sack) and woke up at 2:00 in pain.  Turns out I had to have my gall bladder removed but because I had sooooo many gall stones and a couple had blocked my pancreas, I was also suffering from pancreatitis and was severely dyhydrated.  I ended up not having surgery until that Thursday.  I go back to work this coming Tuesday. 

So, I knit and frogged and reknit and organized my knitting patterns and some yarn.  The one thing that I did finish was baby booties for Erich and Caity's baby. 

These were made with Bernat's Baby Jacquard.  I had already finished the sweater and cap but didn't get a picture of the cap.  The baby shower was the Saturday after my surgery and while I had plans on going, I decided that I just couldn't which meant that I had time to make the slippers. 

Since we were celebrating Zachariah's 9th birthday today, I had until today (or actually last night) to get the booties done.  The pattern I used came from Megan Mills. 

And here are some pictures from Zachariah's birthday . . .  except for the pictures of Zachariah, Zachariah took the pictures. 

He is into music so we had a musical cake.

Adn we also got the drums to go with the Wii and Lindsey and Andrew put them together:

And Zachariah had to blow the candles:

Caity and Erich have another little girl, Ava, who just turned two.   She is very cute and funny and got very, very tired.

And this is my youngest sister, who is Erich's Mom and Ava's grandmother.  She would love to knit except that she goes nuts with the patterns that are K, P, K2T, PSSO . . . so she either crochets or rewrites patterns so that everything is all spelled out.  We laugh.  This picture doesn't do Jeanne justice.  She is incredibly pretty. 

And this is my other younger sister . . . she also knits but does more crocheting because she does lots of afghans and such.

Over Jacquie's left shoulder is one of my older sisters.  She is a knitting, spinning, plying, dyeing fiend.  She sat and almost finished a sock during the party.  She is a show-off. 

And here is Mary (Jacquie's youngest daughter . . . her kids are 29, 27, 25 and 7 . . . and you thought I was nuts with kids that are 23, 15 and 9), and MacKenzie (who is 4-1/2 and Hayden, who just turned 3).  MacKenzie and Hayden are Jacquie's grandchildren. 

New Year, New Day, New Baby knitting.

Winter is the time for comfort,

for good food and warmth,

for the touch of a friendly hand

and for a talk beside a fire:

it is the time for home.

~ Edith Sitwell

Winter has arrived in Cleveland and it is when I discover that I can go for DAYS without ever leaving the house.  I spent much of Saturday and Sunday, sewing, cleaning, knitting, snuggling and playing board games with the kids.  I could have done the same today but, alas, bills have to be paid and so the layers of clothing were donned and the weather braved.  When I got out of the van this morning at the train, it was 15 degrees and there was about 4" of snow.  Brrrrr.

So, what did I work on this weekend.  I started and finished (except for blocking and snaps), the baby sweater for Erich and Caity's baby.

The colors pooled more than I would have liked but, it is still lovely, very soft and an easy knit.  I am making a cap and booties too.  The baby shower is Saturday.  The upside is that Lindsey has two swim meets this week which leaves me with mucho knitting time!

Happy 2010

Wishing everyone a blessed, joyous and peaceful New Year. 

We are spending this afternoon and evening together as a family (against my 15 year old daughter's wishes).  Her boyfriend is going to come over in the evening and his parents will be picking him up after the "ball drops." 

We have spent every New Year's Day, except once, with good friends.  They get the odd years, we get the even years so they will be coming to our home tomorrow.  We will be enjoying Chicken Satay, sauerkraut balls, potstickers, cocktail meatballs, pineapple and kielbasi, fresh vegetable, cheese/crackers, wine, coffee, cheesecake, and whatever Betty and Dean bring to the table.  LOL.  The guys usually go for a long walk after dinner. 

In 2009, I got a lot more knitting finished than I had in the past.  I embraced the joy of making knitted cloths (go figure), finished a shawl for me, several pairs of "fetching," a scarf for Lindsey, a beaded scarf for my friend, Wendy, another small scarf (again for me), hmmmm, slippers for a variety of individuals, hats/scarves for Kyle's daughters, and that might be it.  Most of it was made from my stash (not that you can tell) or from gifted yarns.  For 2010, my first goal is to make a sweater for Caity and Erich's baby girl.  The baby shower is January 9.  I think I need to get started.  I didn't have any yarn suitable in the stash so I stopped at Joann's yesterday and got some Bernat Baby Jacquards Yarn in Spearmint Candy

I think it will make up a very pretty little sweater.  I also got some yellow for the cuffs and bindings. 

2009 brought changes to our extended family with three weddings (Amy and Ron in June, Michael and Kary in July and Erich and Caity in December).  2010 will be bringing changes to our immediate family with Sarah and Kyle's wedding on May 22.  Kyle is a wonderful guy and brings three darling little girls to the family.  The girls are 8, 6 and 5.   His family owns a huge working farm west of our home.  Right now, they work 3,200 acres and have two pig barns which produce about 10,000 pigs per year.  Sarah and Kyle want a country/western themed wedding with a little bit of sparkle.  It will be challenge.  The fun part is that we are having it at the Huron County Fairgrounds and we get to do all the decorating.  Leaves us wide open for a variety of options.  We bought lots of blue/white LED lights and blue/silver ornaments right after Christmas. 

Anyway, I wish everyone a beautiful and safe New Year!

Erich and Caity.

My nephew Erich and his bride Caity. 

He proposed to her at an Indians game the summer of 2008. 

He wanted his brothers to be there for his wedding.  His oldest brother. Tommy, is in the Navy, stationed in Pensacola.

His younger brother, Ryan, is in the Air Force, stationed in Oklahoma City, but recently in Venezuela. 

All the plans were in place, leaves were approved, Tommy got home on Thursday, December 17, in time for the wedding on Friday, December 18.

Unfortunately, Ryan's leave was post-poned until Monday, December 21.

Erich and Caity were married on Friday, December 18.

They are beautiful.  Young.  In love . . . . and exceptionally happy.

Oh, and the baby is due on February 18. 

Erich is also scheduled to ship out to Afghanistan in May.  Sigh. 

Pray, pray, pray that this ends.


oh, yes, and if anyone is counting, this is the third wedding in our family since the end of June!

Swim team Christmas celebration

The swim team . . . over Christmas break, they are doing two a days . . . morning practice from 9:00 to 11:00 and afternoon practice from 4:00 to 6:00.  On Monday, they (most of the team . . . 22 girls in all), came to my house for breakfast/lunch/Christmas celebration.  They also did a "sock" exchange.  Not hand-knit socks, but they had a blast nevertheless. 

At one point, my family room looked like a "mosh pit."

This is my daughter, Lindsey, with her best friend, Jessica.  They are both Juniors.  She and Jessica are perfect counterparts.  They both have great senses of humor, don't take themselves too seriously and are natural leaders.  They care alot about the underclasswomen and make sure that everyone is included.  Plus, they are both good, solid swimmers.

Some of the freshmen . . . About fifteen minutes later, they were all sleeping.  I had to wake them up to get them to their afternoon practice.

Arghhh.

Swimming, swimmers and other fun stuff

Okay, so if you haven't ever had a swimmer, runner, jogger, ice skater, dancer, hockey player, etc., you wouldn't probably understand this post. 

My darling 15 year old has upped the ante on her swimming this year.  She made a commitment early in the summer and asked if she would be able to do some more serious training for swim team.  This commitment meant that every morning, six days a week, from the beginning of July until school started in mid-August, Lindsey swam from 6:00 a.m. until 8:30 a.m., followed by upwards of 45 minutes of "dry land" workouts.  Once school started, she did workouts from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., followed by upwards of 45 minutes of dry land workouts. 

As they say, the proof is in the pudding.  Last week, she won two firsts and two seconds.  On Friday, the 400 Free Relay team that she is on broke the school's record at 4:06.87.  Today, she won a first in her 500 and two seconds in the 100 free style and 200 free relay.  Totally awesome.  The 500 is her "thing."  Her goal is to get under 6 minutes and, actually, she wants to break the school record this year, which means she needs to get it under 5:25.20.  Totally doable.

I have to tell you, however, I was timing during the meet tonight.  I was not timing her lane which was a good thing.  She was lapping the other swimmers.  She started strong and stayed strong.  And, after hugging her bestest swimming buddy, she fell into my arms.  You know there are just some times when it is good to be on the deck and not in the stands.