Purling Oaks

Where in the world is Uncle David?*

*Disclaimer:  I don't have children and I don't know who Carmen Miranda Sandiego** (see the comments) is, but I like the phrase.  Yes, a poor excuse for using it as a post title but that's all I have for you folks. ETA:  **I think I should have googled this first.  :D  I'm guessing the second image is not quite the franchise but she looks like she's having fun.  And, really, both Carmens look like they know how to enjoy a vacation......

 

Here's another (hopefully full view) photo of last Saturday's dinner participants (well, 'cept for me.)  Uncle David is the guy on the right.  He's my father's youngest brother, having arrived on the scene when my dad was 16.  David's one of the larger-than-life 'Jones boys' in my life.  It just wouldn't be right to keep him excluded, although inadvertent.  (No thanks to my TypePad iPad app.)

We're a pretty happy bunch.  (Especially *after* a meal, if this photo says anything.....)

I don't have to be back at work until the last day of the month, (which sounds so long but, really, this is February) so I'm looking forward to seeing more family and some warmer weather.  I'm slowly working on a new sweater--the cold flu virus slowed me down. However, I'm recovering and have switched up my technique to picking rather than throwing in hopes of more efficient knitting.  I'm a bit surprised and happy that my purling is going smoothly.

The weather was lovely in DC this week and I came home to melting snow in Wisconsin.  Yay.  Everyone I talked with today was excited about seeing less snow, more lawn and more sunshine.  I'm excited too although we all know March can be very wintery.  

Well, I'm nattering.  Time to check the dryer anyway and to fold some clothes.  

Happy Friday!

Take that! (as shouted to Old Man Winter)

One knitting-related post coming up!  I have surprised myself by being very crafty/creative this week (a little) and weekend (a lot).  However, two projects underway are stealth projects so that leaves some blog material very much in an unpublishable draft form for a while.   No worries though.  I actually have real knitting content.  Not BIG knitting content, but I know you're not here for that.  I started the Simple Yet Effective Shawl (Rav link) on the train down to Chicago on Tuesday and worked on it again on Thursday, you guessed it, on the way from Chicago.  And yes, I did spend some of that time in conversation with my DH. 

The yarn is even brighter in person.  It will be interesting to see how the colors stripe between the two different balls.  It is a perfect use for sock yarn that probably shouldn't be used for socks.

Friday took me into Madison for an oil change (for the Jeep), a massage, and general errand-running.  Fortunately, I had time to stop at Lakeside Fibers.  You know, just to look around.  Well, look what came home with me.    
There are a couple more balls of the yarn, Rowan Kidsilk Haze, that didn't make it into the photo.  I was paging through the book in the LYS and I was immediately struck with the need to knit Veronique.  I didn't put up much of a fight. 

I know, black fuzzy yarn may prove to be a challenge but a fellow knitter in that LYS commented that all I would have to do is use light colored needles.  Ta-da!  Enabled. 

Besides getting a fix at Lakeside, I came home to find this in the mailbox!    It is of very nice quality and I love the patterns.  I also ordered the electronic version of the patterns.  I fell in love with the doll, but I'm sure I'll make several items from the book.  Nice job, Ysolda!

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Finally, to thumb my nose at last night's snowfall^X (!!!!), here is a view of some of the crocus (crocii?) in the yard last Thursday and they're just fine this afternoon. 

^X I'm so glad it was sunny today because the two inches of snow that fell were having a serious impact on my mental well-being.  It *is* almost April, you know. 

Monday's this and that

Some knitting:  The striped scarf has progressed in length since December.  I joined the second skeins a number of rows ago but still have some striping ahead of me.  I knit a bit yesterday watching the first two episodes of this season's NCIS but generally had my head in a book the past few days. 

A health update:  This morning I'm feeling better, which is a relief.  I'm looking forward to feeling 100 percent soon.   Unfortunately, DH still has the flu bug.  But he's taking it easy and knows that playing with power tools in his shop would not be the best activity for him.  Now that his shop is up and running, he has some wooden bass lures that he wants to make and this *delay* is annoying him.

Felines:  Besides reading, I've been watching cats.  One of the best loved cat toys at Chez Purling Oaks is a plastic milk jug ring...you can see it if you look closely at the darker floor board.  White Dot unearthed a cache of these and has been chasing them around the house along with his sisters and, occasionally, Blue.

Happy Monday!

Schedule keeping

Pictured here are some of the key elements of my yesterday:

• My new* mindless knitting project.  Noro striped scarf with colors 221 and 268 on US 10 Addis (larger than usual needle size for this pattern).  Using picking rather than throwing for the 1x1 ribbing and it is going well outside of a few hand cramps and trying to keep the yarn tensioned appropriately.  O.o
• My work Blackberry.  I only use it for work and don't keep my personal calendar on it outside of blocking out time.  I could use it for personal use but I just don't want to be available 24/7....nor should I be.  However, I keep it with me, usually in my purse, because if I lose it, I have to give up my first-born, err, yarn stash fill out multiple forms.
• My personal phone/PDA Verizon Samsung Model something-something running Windows Mobile 6.  I have been keeping my personal calendar on this piece of equipment but it has betrayed me.  When I traveled between time zones, which was in late October, I had to manually change the time zone.  I use it for an alarm clock and it is too taxing to mentally adjust the time.  However, when I changed the time zone back, all my appointments did not move back, unknown to me.  (Really, why should they move in the first place?)  So, I arrived for my haircut yesterday a full hour early.  See first bullet point and how useful it was to have knitting with me. 
• The nice new 2009 paper calendar given to me by my hair stylist, Vicki.  With the nice paper appointment card for my next haircut time.

I suppose I should go to the Verizon store to see if there is anything like, oh, an update I can get for the Windows OS.  But since the Samsung won't sync on my Mac without a $40 application, I may be SOL.  I should have made a better-informed choice last year but this was (and is, for the most part) a pretty cool mobile phone.....just not for appointment keeping.  I keep hoping Apple and Verizon will have an agreement for a nice iPhone in the next year.  I *could* get an iTouch right now, but that would mean carrying another little electronic box with me.  /sigh

Tell me, how do you keep your schedule or calendar?   Electronic or paper?  Any suggestions for me on maintaining my appointments?  Frankly, this isn't the first appointment I have had, err, difficulty with in the past several months. Normally, I am never late nor would I forget an appointment and I always used to try to arrive a little early. It may be the user and not the equipment..........

Here's another little annoyance: 

A Noro knot.  It wasn't a surprise since it is common knowledge Noro is not good about "no-knots" but how do I get from a nice olivey-green to a bright aquamarine blue in a gradual transition?  I don't.  I'm irritated at the need to cut out knot and yarn to get to a better color transition.  Normally, it would be no big deal but today it is.  (Wow, winter cuticles!)

It is snowing today and blowing.  We had planned a quick trip to see my mom today but roads are ice-covered and hazardous in the Fox Valley so that visit will be delayed until tomorrow. 

I think I'll take Stacey's suggestion and go down to my studio and inhale some fiber fumes in between laundry loads to calm down.  Then maybe a nice cup of hot cocoa and a fire in the wood stove will be relaxing and just the thing for a cold, windy, and snowy day. 

*Not really new.  I started it last year and it was, ahem, misplaced.  I found it last week.

Gabby Saturday

Does your bread-maker squeek?  My bread-maker, the one that plugs in, is squeeking this morning in an alarming manner.  I suppose I will see if the alarm is deserved if it produces bread by noon.  Yesterday, the mountain of laundry was scaled and even put away in proper places, I caught up with Heroes, and I finished the knitting of the beret. 
It is blocking today and from the perspective of the second photo, you may be able to guess my potential concern with the finished object.  However, we'll wait for the beret to dry before any modeled shots are produced.

One of the interesting things I was introduced to during deer hunting was Skype.  My eldest nephew, Micah, is attending university in Granada, Spain, this year and he gave us a live video tour of his apartment using Skype and his MacBook with the imbedded camera.  We didn't have a camera at our end but he could hear us all and we could see his apartment and his roommates.  Quite cool.  So, DN Hunter counseled me and I downloaded Skype, too.  You all probably knew this, but it is free computer to computer calls and (allegedly) low rates for computer to telephone calls.  The video component is the nicest part, especially when you haven't seen a loved one in a while.

As mentioned yesterday, Mom and I had time on Wednesday to visit a LYS, Yarns by Design.  I had a hefty discount certificate and some birthday money in my pocket, so what better place to visit! 
I was a happy shopper:  a slim 11" cherry boat shuttle by Schacht, bobbins for the shuttle, cherry-red glass buttons from Neenah Buttonworks (like cherry candy, my fav), a skein of Casbah (yum), two Handwoven Design Collections (#17 and #13), and Knitting On Top of the World.  Nicky Epstein's book has some gorgeous designs, including the one on the cover, and one or two that I can't fathom.  However, the best part of the book is her narrative on design inspiration. 

Some of you reading should be sure you are seated before you look at the next photo.

Yes, I cast on for Icarus last night after snooping around in Joan's, Nora's, and Cookie's blogs and ravelry spaces for tips. 

Now, off to search for a new Christmas Tree and replenish the kitty kibble.  Have a great Saturday!

The evidence is....

Oh look, knitting!  Evidence that I'm out of my mind.  Last year, DH responded to my query of whether he would like me to knit him a hat and, if so, what kind.  Well, he wanted a beret for deer hunting.  Fine, sounds do-able.  The yarn was found that was pretty close in color but not exactly hunter orange at The Knitting Tree in Madison.  Put in the stash.  Moved several times during the year due to reasons you've all read about.  Spied while I was reorganizing my stash in the studio.....last Sunday.  (more evidence)  Oh, I could double that yarn and produce DH's hat for him before deer hunting starts.  (Tomorrow, it starts tomorrow.)  I even swatched, which was a good thing, since my gauge didn't match that of the pattern I was using and, thus, I had to do math, twice.  I know I'm math impaired after a beer and this was proof. 

Nevertheless, I achieved what I hope is the right stitch count to cast on.  Then, I knit a good distance and realized my make 1's were make-1-big-hole's.  Researched M1's and now I think I'm getting the right result, although in bulky, it is kind of hard to tell.  Frequent naps with knitting in lap occurred (why is that?)  The photo is as of this morning.  I'm following A Country Beret Pattern. (ravelry link)  DH is going to have a nice orange beret (I hope) after or maybe during deer hunting since I'm out of my mind.

I still have to do laundry, pack clothes and hunting stuff, and make this.  (ETA:  Used a 3 quart pan, one pound of venison, Italian-seasoned bread crumbs, and 29 "jumbo" shells.  If you use the 1.5 pounds and you'll have a nice 1 quart dish of extra shells in addition for extra company.)  It is a great recipe that I've made several times (but with venison and mozzarella sprinkled on top).  I (usually!) make it ahead of time, freeze it and then we can just pop it in the oven at the end of the day with a nice loaf of bread.  The water is heating on the stovetop all ready for the shells.  On top of all this there are contractors in the house doing stuff to the front door.  Did I say I was out....?

My brother and his youngest son, H, flew in from LA yesterday morning and DH and I will be joining them at my mother's farm later today.....or at least for dinner. 

I'm looking forward to decompression/sanity/quiet time in my tree tomorrow although I may wear a double layer of longies since it is going to be cold at o'dark thirty.  If you're a hunter, have a safe and productive hunt.  If you're not, please wish us a good hunt and me a way to find my mind. 

ETA:  details on the recipe.

Mitten and a quarter

I'm back home and I actually accomplished some knitting this week.  One completed mitten and the start of a second.  I thought I would have more of a second mitten to show today.  However, on the second leg of my flight home, I pulled out the mitten and ....... promptly fell asleep.  Oops.  They knit up quickly because of the heavier yarn and simple pattern  (Ravelry link).  This is the same yarn I used for my Felted Fuschia Bag.

 

I'm going to be home for the next week or so and I'm looking forward to it.  Here is today's late afternoon view down the driveway.

Today is Kim's birthday!  Go wish her a happy one!