Today is October 23. I'm usually pretty cognizant of the date toward the end of this month, not because of the ghoulish happenings of Halloween approaching (with costume deadlines and the such), but for other reasons. It was 11 years ago today that my dad was killed in a work-related accident. It still doesn't seem possible to be that long ago. Sometimes it feels like yesterday. I still think of him every day.
As each year passes, I get more and more saddened by the things he's missed. The things that as a little girl, I imagined him being there for. My graduating from college, my wedding, the births of my children. Those who know me know I'm not a particularly religious person (I do like to think that I am at least a spiritual person, though), and at 30, I still haven't decided what I truly believe, other than I should try to be the best person I can be and that surely there is something out there beyond us. It would be comforting to think that my dad could still see me and know that I'm happy, healthy, and mostly whole in his absence.
On the other hand, while he's not here, I am proud that I've done some of the things he had hoped for me. I finished college, for one. Apparently, I'm not done with school yet, either. I found a kind, handsome, decent, intelligent, hardworking man who treats me as an equal (heck, he really puts me on a pedestal, to be true) and married him and was welcomed into his family. I became a mother. My father has grandchildren who know about who he was, even though they never got to meet him. I have sons, and as I watch them grow, I know that someday they may be fathers too. And maybe they'll have daughters. And maybe they'll go hiking together and have late night work-outs and play silly computer games like Civilization where they beat up on the Zulus.
My father lives on in me and in the things I do with my children and in the stories I tell about him. He lives on in my and my children's physical being, a little bit of his genetic character passed on. While much of me physically is reminiscent of my mother and her side of the family (love those strong Davis genes!), I still see bits of him in me. And that is comforting, too. So while I miss him and selfishly feel sad for the things he's not here for, I will keep on being positive about the time we did have together and make sure to spend that quality of time with the ones I still have here because that would honor his memory better than anything else.
And so to honor him today, I'll share something about him that I've always admired. The man could fix just about anything. At least I thought so. As I was passing through the reference section at the library the other day, I thought of him. He always had the Chilton's auto manuals floating around the house for whatever vehicles we happened to own. Well, and my grandma's for that matter, as he used to work on her car quite a bit. If there was a problem with the cars, my father never took it to a mechanic. He fixed it himself. He would jack up the car, get on his already greasy work duds and climb under for a look. He would completely disassemble things and put them back together. And they worked. He built picnic tables and saw horses, and one summer we erected a privacy fence. My dad was a real do-it-yourself kind of guy, and I really admired that about him.
I like to think that it's a trait that he's instilled in me. I'm the one who seems to initiate the home improvement around here. The neighbors find it amusing. One of the lady neighbors told me one day, "Really. You've got to stop it. You're making the rest of us look bad." Not long ago another neighbor quipped, "So I'm betting you'll be out here working, squat and have a baby, and get on with whatever it is you're doing, eh?" I'm the only girl on the block who gets out in the front yard with the shovel, wheelbarrow, level, and tools and says, "gee...think I'll do a retaining wall." I'd do more if I were allowed to use power tools (and if there were freaking time), but I kinda got banned from those after a little hedgetrimmer accident. Did you know those will cut through extension cords? Oh, and your finger if you're busy chatting with your spouse while using them? Want in on a secret? I still have a few power tools...and I plan to use them. Though I'll likely leave the auto repair to the experts at the dealer.
Love you daddy...miss you bunches.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Making the rounds and more dolls
The funk seems to be making the rounds yet again. Liam came down with a fever this morning and has been complaining of the usual cold symptoms. He spent most of the day laying around looking pretty sad and pathetic. Poor little guy. The rest of us are going to get on the ball this time and try to avoid catching the latest plague. Lysol here I come!
After spending the day in Pennsylvania yesterday doing some outlet shopping for hubby, we came home to an empty house again. The kiddos stayed one more night with the grandparents, since we weren't due to get home until way after their bedtime, and they came home for breakfast this morning. That meant plenty of time for me to work on crafty things yesterday and today.
I'm plugging along in Kinder Dolls, making each one and trying to decide what I like making the best. The author recommends starting with the smallest/simplest dolls and working your way up to the more difficult dolls. Makes sense, I'd say.
So here's the first little doll:
It has flannel for the body and a wool head covered in knit fabric. The hair is mohair that I sewed on in a swirl pattern. Not too bad, but awful fiddly to make because of the small size.
And here's the second one I made today:
This one is made using fabric from an old hooded baby towel. I always thought they were too thin to actually use to dry the baby off and keep him/her warm, but I think that it makes great fabric for dolls! The inner head is a wrapped wool ball covered with gauze stockinette, and I sewed the hat onto the head after stuffing the head inside the doll body. I tied little knots in the ends of the arms and on the hat. This will make a great teething doll for a baby. Not sure whether I want to hang onto this one or not. I can tell you that I will be making more! I think thrifted baby towels will work great for this once I run out....and I can see making smaller ones, too, and maybe from other stretchy fabrics. The nice thing is you could throw these in the gentle cycle and wash them, since the wool head is fairly well felted.
I found a trick to making the heads for these dolls. The heads need to be pretty firm, and I've always had a hard time pulling the wool batting tight enough as I wrap it to get it hard enough without it breaking it. Yesterday, I picked up a Clover needle felting tool and mat at the knitting store (along with a couple other things :P). I used that as I added layers of wool to help ensure that it stayed firm enough. I think it works pretty well. I'm thinking if I can get decent light sometime soon (we are going toward winter, after all, so it's mostly gray and dark now), I'll put together a photo tutorial.
Oh, boy...on to the next!
After spending the day in Pennsylvania yesterday doing some outlet shopping for hubby, we came home to an empty house again. The kiddos stayed one more night with the grandparents, since we weren't due to get home until way after their bedtime, and they came home for breakfast this morning. That meant plenty of time for me to work on crafty things yesterday and today.
I'm plugging along in Kinder Dolls, making each one and trying to decide what I like making the best. The author recommends starting with the smallest/simplest dolls and working your way up to the more difficult dolls. Makes sense, I'd say.
So here's the first little doll:
It has flannel for the body and a wool head covered in knit fabric. The hair is mohair that I sewed on in a swirl pattern. Not too bad, but awful fiddly to make because of the small size.And here's the second one I made today:
This one is made using fabric from an old hooded baby towel. I always thought they were too thin to actually use to dry the baby off and keep him/her warm, but I think that it makes great fabric for dolls! The inner head is a wrapped wool ball covered with gauze stockinette, and I sewed the hat onto the head after stuffing the head inside the doll body. I tied little knots in the ends of the arms and on the hat. This will make a great teething doll for a baby. Not sure whether I want to hang onto this one or not. I can tell you that I will be making more! I think thrifted baby towels will work great for this once I run out....and I can see making smaller ones, too, and maybe from other stretchy fabrics. The nice thing is you could throw these in the gentle cycle and wash them, since the wool head is fairly well felted.I found a trick to making the heads for these dolls. The heads need to be pretty firm, and I've always had a hard time pulling the wool batting tight enough as I wrap it to get it hard enough without it breaking it. Yesterday, I picked up a Clover needle felting tool and mat at the knitting store (along with a couple other things :P). I used that as I added layers of wool to help ensure that it stayed firm enough. I think it works pretty well. I'm thinking if I can get decent light sometime soon (we are going toward winter, after all, so it's mostly gray and dark now), I'll put together a photo tutorial.
Oh, boy...on to the next!
Saturday, October 21, 2006
My little angel
Ok...so now I'm getting completely out of control. I got out some unspun wool today and did this:
I'm thinking I'm gonna make a whole boatload of them for our tree this year...and some for the Children's Festival. They're so easy to make, and man, are they soft.
Ok...so for the Children's festival, I'm thinking I'll make those, some small dolls, and who knows what else I'll try to throw in before the end of November. Somebody stop me!!
I'm thinking I'm gonna make a whole boatload of them for our tree this year...and some for the Children's Festival. They're so easy to make, and man, are they soft.Ok...so for the Children's festival, I'm thinking I'll make those, some small dolls, and who knows what else I'll try to throw in before the end of November. Somebody stop me!!
Friday, October 20, 2006
Full of inspiration
I had the day pretty well to myself today. The little guy stayed the night at the grandparents' place last night, and once I dropped the big guy off at school this morning, I was without child...well, on the outside anyway. I had to do some prep work for a teachback this afternoon, so that took up the bulk of my day, but once that was finished, I didn't have anything else pressing to do.
I slowly perused the school bookstore this morning, as I didn't have an extra set of hands dismantling the wooden toy display, and somehow I managed to come out of the store with felt in every color under the rainbow, more doll skin fabric, cotton velour in two shades, and some felting wool.
I'm so inspired right now by the absolute explosion of color going on that I just must create. For some reason this year, whatever combination of sun, rain, and temperature has yielded one of the most stunning fall displays I can remember. The trees around here all seem to have turned nearly simultaneously, rather than the trees changing color so slowly that they're half naked before they're done metamorphosing. So many of the leaves aren't just one color, either. They run in gradation from the stem to the tips, green to gold, crimson, or red. The gray skies around here as of late just seem to make the colors pop so much more crisply.
So first, here's a small taste of the color around here. The weather was wet for most of the day today, so snapping these pictures was tricky. It may have involved some rapid fire shooting while pausing at stop signs/stop lights, etc., so there may be a bit of windshield haze.
So tonight after getting home, being sans little ones, I immediately hopped into creative mode. I pulled out all the goodies I picked up today and started working on the Mother Earth from Crafts through the Year. I've never made a doll from nothing but unspun wool before, so this was a new skill, and the instructions were a bit ambiguous. I had a hard time getting it all sorted out, but I don't think she turned out too bad for a first go at it.
This is what she's supposed to look like (sorry for the lousy pics, but it's the middle of the night here, and it's a little dark):
And this is what I came up with (phone included for scale):
And a side view:
She turned out very, um, roomy. I had a hard time getting her head as round as it needed to be. I think her bottom is supposed to be round too (but maybe not so fat or tall?). I think it's all in my technique. Unfortunately, I can't think of anyone off the top of my head to ask to see what I could do differently next time. I'll have to scout around at school to see if someone has made these kind of dolls before (and I'm sure someone has...). Because there is nothing securing the wool down (wool is "sticky" and unspun wool will "stick" to itself), she's very soft, squooshy, and fragile -- wispy even. Definitely not a doll for the kiddos to play with. I made her in typical fall colors - dark green and burgundy. She has brown cuffs on her sleeves and golden hair (the colors aren't exactly true in the pic b/c of the flash). She's now perched in our nature scene, making sure the gnomes don't get out of hand.
The school's Children's Festival is coming soon, and some of the parents are going to get together and sell some of their handmade crafts. I may just have to make a few things to put out. Hmm.....
I slowly perused the school bookstore this morning, as I didn't have an extra set of hands dismantling the wooden toy display, and somehow I managed to come out of the store with felt in every color under the rainbow, more doll skin fabric, cotton velour in two shades, and some felting wool.
I'm so inspired right now by the absolute explosion of color going on that I just must create. For some reason this year, whatever combination of sun, rain, and temperature has yielded one of the most stunning fall displays I can remember. The trees around here all seem to have turned nearly simultaneously, rather than the trees changing color so slowly that they're half naked before they're done metamorphosing. So many of the leaves aren't just one color, either. They run in gradation from the stem to the tips, green to gold, crimson, or red. The gray skies around here as of late just seem to make the colors pop so much more crisply.
So first, here's a small taste of the color around here. The weather was wet for most of the day today, so snapping these pictures was tricky. It may have involved some rapid fire shooting while pausing at stop signs/stop lights, etc., so there may be a bit of windshield haze.
So tonight after getting home, being sans little ones, I immediately hopped into creative mode. I pulled out all the goodies I picked up today and started working on the Mother Earth from Crafts through the Year. I've never made a doll from nothing but unspun wool before, so this was a new skill, and the instructions were a bit ambiguous. I had a hard time getting it all sorted out, but I don't think she turned out too bad for a first go at it.This is what she's supposed to look like (sorry for the lousy pics, but it's the middle of the night here, and it's a little dark):
And this is what I came up with (phone included for scale):
And a side view:
She turned out very, um, roomy. I had a hard time getting her head as round as it needed to be. I think her bottom is supposed to be round too (but maybe not so fat or tall?). I think it's all in my technique. Unfortunately, I can't think of anyone off the top of my head to ask to see what I could do differently next time. I'll have to scout around at school to see if someone has made these kind of dolls before (and I'm sure someone has...). Because there is nothing securing the wool down (wool is "sticky" and unspun wool will "stick" to itself), she's very soft, squooshy, and fragile -- wispy even. Definitely not a doll for the kiddos to play with. I made her in typical fall colors - dark green and burgundy. She has brown cuffs on her sleeves and golden hair (the colors aren't exactly true in the pic b/c of the flash). She's now perched in our nature scene, making sure the gnomes don't get out of hand.
The school's Children's Festival is coming soon, and some of the parents are going to get together and sell some of their handmade crafts. I may just have to make a few things to put out. Hmm.....
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Belly and the baby of the moment
I'm overdue in posting pics of my growing waistline. Hard to believe I'm already in my 29th week. Gads, it has just flown! Baby girl is very active and loves playing tag with momma already. Hubby keeps telling me to leave her alone, that I'll make her mean, but I reiterate that I used to do the same thing with the other two we have, and well, they're not mean. Besides, I read somewhere that their little brains are doing lots of growth in-utero and the stimulation of touch is an important way to help grow smart brains.
I'm definitely the "Queen of Roundness" around here at the moment. It was definitely hard to capture these self-portraits. Had to turn the flash off, so they aren't the most crisp, but at least it beats the "sun is exploding out of my head" shots that you get with the flash on.
Belly, what belly? I'm not pregnant at all...
Oh, you mean that belly. Yup. Definitely a watermelon or something growing in there. Knew I shouldn't have eaten those seeds this summer.
I had an audience while composing these photos. Ms. Nosybritches was in the bathroom hoping that I would brush my teeth so she could hop on my shoulder and catapult herself into the sink. Luckily, she realized she could use the kids' basket of bath toys as a jumping block instead of me.
Turn the water on already, lady. Can't you see I'm dying of thirst?
Ahhh...success...
I'm definitely the "Queen of Roundness" around here at the moment. It was definitely hard to capture these self-portraits. Had to turn the flash off, so they aren't the most crisp, but at least it beats the "sun is exploding out of my head" shots that you get with the flash on.
Belly, what belly? I'm not pregnant at all...
Oh, you mean that belly. Yup. Definitely a watermelon or something growing in there. Knew I shouldn't have eaten those seeds this summer.I had an audience while composing these photos. Ms. Nosybritches was in the bathroom hoping that I would brush my teeth so she could hop on my shoulder and catapult herself into the sink. Luckily, she realized she could use the kids' basket of bath toys as a jumping block instead of me.
Turn the water on already, lady. Can't you see I'm dying of thirst?
Ahhh...success...Girlfriend's favorite post-fight with the spigot activity is to come snuggle her wet self up in my arms. Usually her head, neck, and paws are wet from losing the fight with the water (and I don't think any actually ends up in her belly, either), and she shoves them up under my neck and kneads her paws. Luckily, I don't mind purring, soggy cat much.
Oh, I love you mommy...
Oh, I love you mommy...Gettin' felt
Today's been a crafty kind of day. Thursday mornings are usually handwork group at Liam's school, and I wasn't really planning on going today on account of the frog in my throat, but at Jonah's insistence ("Can we go play in Ms. 'uhberta's room?"), and the fact that I had my knitting bag with me, I begrudgingly went. I really didn't get that much done, as I'd stopped by the school store and picked up a couple of books (Crafts through the Year, The Nature Corner, and The Children's Year), and I ended up thumbing through those most of the time. Mmmm....ideas, ideas....
I originally borrowed The Nature Corner from Liam's teacher so I could get some ideas for doing a nature table, which is something I've wanted to do for a long time. I picked up dark taupe-colored silk on sale at the craft store last weekend along with some chocolate colored silk (man, if I were good at sewing, I would so wear more silk), dried flowers, and a few gourds. I put them out on the top of the little bookshelf in our front room next to my little fountain, and Jonah helped add a few leaves. I also added Liam's felted shooting star for Michaelmas and a random hazelnut gnome (the green one I made today) I found that he'd helped make last year. There are two wheat grass wreaths. One Liam made in class, and one that I made in Parent/Child class with Jonah. The plan is to make more dolls and scenes for the nature table as the season progresses and have less store bought type things. I really need to hurry up and get a jump on the upcoming Advent season. But here's what we have so far:
I'd bought the materials a while ago to make dolls (some time early last spring), but nothing ever came to fruition. Today, I finished these:
The pink pocket pal is about 2 1/2" tall (not including the hat) and has a wool-wrapped wire body with wood beads for hands and feet, and His Highness is about 4" to the top of his crown and is a wooden doll pin covered in felt. Both patterns came from the book Feltcraft, which I bought at the same time as the felt.
And just to prove I'm still in Sock Wars, though my imminent demise has been forewarned by way of socks from the UK, here is a picture of what I've got so far of my Socks of Doom!
I really need to get these done, as my current target has already had to knit 3 pairs of socks, bless her heart!
I'm really feeling into making dolls right now and not so much on the knitting...not sure why. I need to sit down and priortize what I'd like to get done before the season really starts to change...the Children's Festival is coming at school, and I'm sure I'll have more inspiration and more things to make for that.
I originally borrowed The Nature Corner from Liam's teacher so I could get some ideas for doing a nature table, which is something I've wanted to do for a long time. I picked up dark taupe-colored silk on sale at the craft store last weekend along with some chocolate colored silk (man, if I were good at sewing, I would so wear more silk), dried flowers, and a few gourds. I put them out on the top of the little bookshelf in our front room next to my little fountain, and Jonah helped add a few leaves. I also added Liam's felted shooting star for Michaelmas and a random hazelnut gnome (the green one I made today) I found that he'd helped make last year. There are two wheat grass wreaths. One Liam made in class, and one that I made in Parent/Child class with Jonah. The plan is to make more dolls and scenes for the nature table as the season progresses and have less store bought type things. I really need to hurry up and get a jump on the upcoming Advent season. But here's what we have so far:
I'd bought the materials a while ago to make dolls (some time early last spring), but nothing ever came to fruition. Today, I finished these:
The pink pocket pal is about 2 1/2" tall (not including the hat) and has a wool-wrapped wire body with wood beads for hands and feet, and His Highness is about 4" to the top of his crown and is a wooden doll pin covered in felt. Both patterns came from the book Feltcraft, which I bought at the same time as the felt.And just to prove I'm still in Sock Wars, though my imminent demise has been forewarned by way of socks from the UK, here is a picture of what I've got so far of my Socks of Doom!
I really need to get these done, as my current target has already had to knit 3 pairs of socks, bless her heart!I'm really feeling into making dolls right now and not so much on the knitting...not sure why. I need to sit down and priortize what I'd like to get done before the season really starts to change...the Children's Festival is coming at school, and I'm sure I'll have more inspiration and more things to make for that.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Sick Bunnie
A plague has descended upon us. Not locusts or anything else of biblical proportions. Just your run of the mill cold virus that we all seem to be passing back and forth to each other. After sucking Sootherbs like a madwoman for the past week, I finally succumbed a few days ago to the funk, though not as badly as I might have if I hadn't been hitting the echinacea, zinc, and vitamin C like a junkie. While hubby may find my come hither voice attractive, I rather think I sound like a honking frog. I do seem to be on the mend, though, so hopefully I'll be better by this weekend.
There hasn't been much knitting or anything else around here lately either. It's been all declutter, all the time. The only silver lining to the clouds that I'm seeing is that I finally feel like I'm making a bit of progress. Finally. When MIL showed up this afternoon, the living room was trashed. Toys ran amuck along with the children, fur tumbleweeds blew past in the wake, and I'm not exactly sure what that was stuck to floor, but I think it may have been a fruit snack. Maybe. A mere 20 minutes or so of actual work, and the front room was neat, vacuumed, and totally presentable by the time hubby arrived home. This used to be an all afternoon process. I can walk in the laundry room and only a couple of baskets actually have clothes that could be washed in them. I could probably wait till this weekend to catch up on that and do maybe 3 or so loads total. The bathrooms only need a swish and swipe, and I can finally see my desk upstairs. I keep meaning to take before and after pictures, just so I can amaze myself with the amount of work that is getting done, but I'm afraid that if the pictures got out, the Clean House hostess would show up at my door, and I'd have to strangle her with her extensions. Have you seen this show? She's really perfectly nice, I'm sure, but I bet they'd want me to get rid of some yarn, and well....them's fighting words.
Our new cat is a complete nut. She's totally addicted to newspaper wads. Just the sound of the paper tearing will bring her out of a dead sleep on another floor. She doesn't have a very loud meow, and really it's more a squeak than anything else. So she'll squeak at me until I tear off and throw the wad of paper, and then she takes off after it at high speed. Once she gets it she'll carry it around, but I haven't figured out how to teach her to fetch yet. At this point, I keep having to tear off new wads to keep her satisfied. I so need to catch her on video and post it to YouTube. If I'm not careful, she will ambush me in the bathroom when I'm brushing my teeth just so she can get to the sink while the water is still running. I turned toward the door the other night with brush in mouth and caught her midflight out of the corner of my eye. She was up the side of my nightgown and up on my shoulder before I knew it. She's also a big snuggler. Loves to tuck her head into the crook of my neck and knead it to death while I love on her, all the while making smacking sounds. Probably from being abandoned as a baby. Poor thing.
Anyway, I really do promise pictures this week. Of knitting...of kids...of the belly...Just have to find the camera. One thing about decluttering. Gotta remember where I put stuff!
There hasn't been much knitting or anything else around here lately either. It's been all declutter, all the time. The only silver lining to the clouds that I'm seeing is that I finally feel like I'm making a bit of progress. Finally. When MIL showed up this afternoon, the living room was trashed. Toys ran amuck along with the children, fur tumbleweeds blew past in the wake, and I'm not exactly sure what that was stuck to floor, but I think it may have been a fruit snack. Maybe. A mere 20 minutes or so of actual work, and the front room was neat, vacuumed, and totally presentable by the time hubby arrived home. This used to be an all afternoon process. I can walk in the laundry room and only a couple of baskets actually have clothes that could be washed in them. I could probably wait till this weekend to catch up on that and do maybe 3 or so loads total. The bathrooms only need a swish and swipe, and I can finally see my desk upstairs. I keep meaning to take before and after pictures, just so I can amaze myself with the amount of work that is getting done, but I'm afraid that if the pictures got out, the Clean House hostess would show up at my door, and I'd have to strangle her with her extensions. Have you seen this show? She's really perfectly nice, I'm sure, but I bet they'd want me to get rid of some yarn, and well....them's fighting words.
Our new cat is a complete nut. She's totally addicted to newspaper wads. Just the sound of the paper tearing will bring her out of a dead sleep on another floor. She doesn't have a very loud meow, and really it's more a squeak than anything else. So she'll squeak at me until I tear off and throw the wad of paper, and then she takes off after it at high speed. Once she gets it she'll carry it around, but I haven't figured out how to teach her to fetch yet. At this point, I keep having to tear off new wads to keep her satisfied. I so need to catch her on video and post it to YouTube. If I'm not careful, she will ambush me in the bathroom when I'm brushing my teeth just so she can get to the sink while the water is still running. I turned toward the door the other night with brush in mouth and caught her midflight out of the corner of my eye. She was up the side of my nightgown and up on my shoulder before I knew it. She's also a big snuggler. Loves to tuck her head into the crook of my neck and knead it to death while I love on her, all the while making smacking sounds. Probably from being abandoned as a baby. Poor thing.
Anyway, I really do promise pictures this week. Of knitting...of kids...of the belly...Just have to find the camera. One thing about decluttering. Gotta remember where I put stuff!
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Indian summer
The weather today was absolutely beautiful. Patchy clouds and sun, warm temps (mid 70s), and just a bit of a breeze. Lovely. I wanted to take advantage, as tomorrow it's scheduled to rain, and then it will cool off a fair bit. So the boys and I elected to go for a hike at one of the Metro Parks, and we all had a great time.Fall is so bittersweet for me. I love the changing colors of the trees, and how they seem to be on fire when the sun shines through them. I love fall hiking, as the weather is just warm enough to be out without a jacket when you're doing physical activity. I do enjoy the crispness of the autum air, though I'm never happy about the extra clothing that it usually requires, particularly this year, as maternity pants and I do not get along (why, oh why, don't more designers make talls more readily available?). What I dislike is knowing that this season precedes the season when everything goes to sleep; short, gray and cold days stuck indoors and having to bundle everyone up for even short trips outdoors along with thoughts of dreading the upcoming holiday shopping (ick!!). Fall also marks the season that my dad died, so though it was one of his favorite seasons, I always miss him so much more this time of year.
One of his favorite things to do with us when we were kids was to go hiking. We lived a short distance for the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore with its miles of long, winding hiking trails. You seriously could get lost in these trails. Some of them led across the tops of the sand dunes with tall prarie type grasses, the hills sloping quickly down to the beach. Some days we'd come out across those and go along the beach for a while, making shoe prints in the sand and skipping a few rocks before returning back to the woods. My sister and I used to think we hated going hiking, and we'd balk every time he'd bring it up as an option for something to do together. Bribery with ice cream was often involved, but now, I so cherish those moments with him and truly know that I did not hate it...in fact, I loved it. The chance out in the quiet of the trees to share my innermost thoughts and dreams with my dad and then getting his loving advice to my problems. He had such an appreciation for nature, and I so want to instill this in my children. To have them love it, revere it, not take it for granted, and to have it be such a part of their lives that they couldn't imagine not enjoying it.
So today, I decided we should go for a hike. Part of what I love about where we live is the multitude of parks that we have to choose from. The Cuyahoga River cuts through this area and provides an opportunity for various types of recreation. The Towpath trail is fantastic for hiking and biking, though I think I prefer to bike that one, yet there are enough other dedicated hiking trails of various lengths and grades that anyone could find one to their liking. One of our favorites in the Metro Parks cuts through the old Portage Trail that the Indians used to carry their canoes from one river to another. This trail is over 2 miles long, and after doing the 1/2 mile scenic overlook trail, we decided not to do the whole trail.
My favorite part of the trail runs right along the river, and there's a picnic area with benches. One of the benches sits right at the water's edge, so we stopped there for a while. The boys tried skipping stones, looking for treasures, and picking out leaves that were showing their best fall colors. Liam found a flat shale-type rock shaped like the state of Ohio. Jonah's favorite rocks were the ones so big that he couldn't possibly fit them in his pockets, though he tried repeatedly.
All too soon, the sun was setting, and it was time for us to go. It really made me smile when Jonah kept repeating, "I love hiking." He was definitely reluctant to leave. "But I want to hike more," he would protest. Liam, on the other hand, while he seems to really enjoy the hiking, has the capacity to realize when he's becoming fatigued and knows that it's time to turn around.
As we were getting to the trail today, there were two young cats, really not far removed from their kittenhood, who were sitting on the curb of the parking lot watching the wildlife. When they saw us get out of the van, they came over to greet us, one of them quite loudly. One was a male with white and brown patches that had swirls of dark tabby colors in them. The other was a female marmalade tabby, much like our Neely, only more orange in hue. At first they were shy, hanging back and just calling to us while we took a bathroom break. Once we came out, they got a little braver and started following us to the trail, calling out as if to ask us to come back and pay them some attention....or likely bring them some food. This park was fairly far removed from any housing, so the likelihood that they were someone's pets out for a traipse was pretty unlikely. They seemed like they had been fairly well fed and were pretty clean, so I'm assuming they probably had not been out there for too long. Someone had probably abandoned them there, which really broke my heart. I hoped that by the time we returned that they would be gone, so I wouldn't have to feel guilty about not feeling like there was anything I could do for them.When we finished our hike and arrived back at the parking lot, the two cats greeted us like old friends and followed us wherever we were going. Now I was really feeling bad...Crazy cat lady, yes I am. I would have brought them home if it weren't for the fact that I'd likely be disowned. Not good to be out on the streets when you're in your 7th month of pregnancy. So I ushered the boys to the car and got them buckled in, told them to say goodbye to the kitties, and made them the promise that I would try to find a shelter to take them to when we got home, particularly since they were so friendly (and thus probably adoptable). Around the corner at the scenic overlook trail, I spotted a park ranger and then made a quick turn into the parking lot. Sprinting from my car (yup, I can still move pretty fast if I have to!), I got his attention and told him about the poor deserted animals. Hopefully there is something he can do for them. I will likely go back tomorrow just to make sure they've been rescued...and if not, I've got a few numbers now that I can call to see if I can find these poor little guys a home. Other than with me.
Friday, September 29, 2006
It ain't Kansas, Dorothy
I woke this morning earlier than I really wanted/needed to in order to help hubby get the oldest ready and off to school with a minimum of hassle. While in the midst of packing the boy's lunch at 7 am, hubby came in and told everyone to hurry and put their shoes on and come outside. In the cold. Rain. At 7 am. Reluctantly, I put my Adidas flops on and went out sans jacket, and was treated to this sight:
How could my day possibly go bad when it starts out this beautiful? I nearly ran across the street to see if the pot of gold was in the neighbor's front yard, as the rainbow looked like it truly ended there, and well...I could use the cash. Happy Friday all!
How could my day possibly go bad when it starts out this beautiful? I nearly ran across the street to see if the pot of gold was in the neighbor's front yard, as the rainbow looked like it truly ended there, and well...I could use the cash. Happy Friday all!
Thursday, September 28, 2006
A reason perhaps for my absence
Ugh. I just woke up from a nap which should have been restorative, but instead has me frazzled and feeling like perhaps I've sent myself a reminder that I need to take a step back and evaluate. When your brain gets in the middle and sends you a message like this one, perhaps it's because you need to take a time out.
First, I woke up realizing that it was daytime, and I panicked because I thought I'd overslept, and therefore we'd be late getting Liam to school. Liam is at school already. Because it's 3 in the afternoon...and I took him to school this morning. Check one.
I woke up with my heartbeat doing flip-flops from sheer frustration. Why, you ponder? A dream. A dream in which I was so frustrated with anger that it was making me physically sick.
So what happened you ask? This is the beauty of Blogger...I can tell you all my dream and make it all better. Just like I used to tell my mommy my bad dreams and then I could go back to sleep. Only I don't think I'm going to go back to sleep. Another solution will have to do. Anyway. Back to the dream.
So I'm at school. And each of my professors has given an assignment that is due this weekend. And each of these assignments involves a boatload of research and/or prep work. So I meet up with a few of my friends in the hopes of working on it. My friends happen to be some of the girls I used to go to school with at the local university who are now enjoying further education while I am enjoying a third pregnancy. Naturally, we haven't seen each other in a while and we're feeling a bit chatty. So why study at the library? Someone has the brilliant idea to study at the mall. Where there is a ton of distraction. And I can't get anything accomplished. And deadlines are looming, and I'm starting to panic.
So I decide that maybe I might go and find a quiet table at the library. Only someone interrupts me. A boy that I don't really know, but I do know he has a crush on me (funny, that, considering I'm now approaching my 7th month of pregnancy and round as a soccerball). So he lures me away for a few minutes filling my ear with sweet nothings, and then I remember. Oh yeah. Got studying to do. So I escape and return to my friends at the crowded mall and realize that my backpack that was carrying my things has now morphed into several large plastic bags stuffed so full of papers, clothing, and other stuff that I now have to get back to my car...because it all needs taken care of. Assignments to be done...laundry to be folded...
I come to the realization that nothing is going to get done with all those people and noise going on, so I grab my plastic bags stuffed with stuff and bid my friends adieu while they protest that I'm a party pooper. On my way to the car, I decide that I need a bathroom break (I am pregnant after all), so I drag all my things to the bathroom. While there, the cutie pie who wanted to lick my ear off earlier decides that I need a little more help being distracted, and he's snuck himself into the bathroom, which is more like an old shower you might find at the beach with concrete floors and heavy vinyl shower curtains around the toilet stalls. Water begins to seep from around the potties with me none the wiser. I was brushing my teeth or doing something else and looking in the mirror (narcissistic much?) until I realize that the bags that contain my belongings are becoming waterlogged, and how will I get my homework done if it's wet?
So I realize the boy is behind it, and I give him a good verbal lashing and drag my things out of the bathroom. In the meantime, my oh-so-friendly friends have decided that I really don't need to leave and have somehow confiscated my keys. So I'm dragging my wet things across the lot and can't find my car or my keys.
I get on the phone with my hubby who is conveniently at home making dinner (which I usually consider a very helpful thing), but since my friends are being a pain in the butt, I'm begging him to come and rescue me and my wet things. He refuses, because, well, he's cooking, and shouldn't I just listen to them for once?
So I track down my friends and am basically wrestling with them to see if I can find my keys in their purses. I grab one friend's set and frantically hit the lock button hoping to locate my car, but no luck. I repeat the process with two other friend's sets with the same result. Finally, I tackle the boy and wrestle my keys from him. Bingo! I can hear my car's horn beeping from somewhere in the lot. I drag myself to the car and realize that my friends have hijacked my things and are now stuffing the wet stuff into the van willy nilly. Of course, they are coming to the realization that the plastic bags which once held my things but have now grown to the sizes of cars themselves will not all fit in my van. It is at this point, I think that I start crying in my dream. Someone (a woman, but I'm not sure who) sees me crying and starts laughing. "It's not funny, I say." "Of course it is," she responds. I am finding it hard to find the humor in the situation, so I call my husband again crying. He mentions that he's still making dinner, and I need to cut it out. But I'm never going to be able to finish my work, and it won't all fit in the van...and I'm losing control...It's at this point that I become hysterical and begin screaming, crying, thrashing about, and pitching "the big one" nelly, when thankfully, I woke up. Only I woke up in a panic. Because I thought it was morning...and I was late...
Ok, Freud. So what's this all mean? Oh, I could analyze this bad boy all day long. Could be that I've finally hit critical mass with the amount of things that I really need to do and feel like I have no way to get them all finished by the stated deadline? And that I feel like no one can help me, or that everyone is, in fact, being a hindrance? Could it all be so literal?
Take this upcoming weekend for example. A couple of weeks ago I went to Michigan for our annual birth network meeting and conference. I came away feeling pretty jazzed about what we could accomplish this year, as did our other NEO chapter leader. So I came back home and started making lists and working on tasks to get a few things done. Like our much desperately needed membership drive and resource guide. Which we've finally set dates for getting out. Which come very soon. Eeep!
In addition, this weekend is a baby fair, so I need to get things ready for that. Which means a lot of printing, brainstorming, etc.
And I've got a mountain of prep work to do for my final session of teacher training for K**aplan which is on the same day as the baby fair.
And I've got three months left until the baby comes, so I've been trying to get the house purged of excess crap in the hopes of making it easier to keep clean once the baby gets here (well, and because it really needed done anyway), and that has been an enormous task considering the amount of junk we've accumulated in the 8 years that we've been here, and the fact that neither of us is really great about pitching stuff. Well, one of us really has a hard time with it. And it ain't me. No room for that in this house, though...not with 3 kids, that's for sure!
Oh, and there's Sock Wars. I don't want to get assassinated right out of the starting gate (one sock down, one to go), on top of the fact that knitting is therapy! So I've got to get on that, too.
Thing is...I know I've got a ton of help. Hubby is FANTASTIC about helping with the kids and stuff so I can get my prep work done. He's pretty much had the kids every Sunday since I started teacher training, and some Saturdays, too, since I've had a couple other things on the weekend. The man does indeed cook dinner. More frequently than I care to admit, as he's the one working, and I'm the one who's supposed to be at home. He's also in the midst of trying to get an abstract sent off in the hopes that we might be able to go together to a conference overseas (oh please, oh please, engineering gods, make it so!) next spring. And he has a dissertation that needs to be done some time this decade so he can be Dr. Hubby. Poor guy. It's no wonder he doesn't have dreams like I do. Or maybe he does...hmm....
My in-laws are also fantastic about offering to help if we ask. They frequently take the kids if we're in a pinch on child care, and I know they enjoy every minute of it.
So what's my dealio? *shrug* Dunno. Perfectionism, perhaps? Because if any of you knows me...(and I know that some of you who are reading this truly do) I am a horrible perfectionist. I can do it all...and my way is the only correct way. Ugh. Really, I do need a good thumping.
Maybe it's time for me to call in the troops and delegate a bit. I've done that a little these past couple of days. The neighbor girl was BEGGING for some babysitting time, and knowing that hubby really needs to spend time working on his stuff, I agreed to let her come hang with the boys for a couple of hours so I could hide out in the den and work on stuff. Like this totally unecessary post. Okay. It is necessary. Needed to vent. So I could move on. And be productive. Right?
And this weekend I'll be rallying the birth troops to help with some of the other stuff. For now, I think I just need to hang. Thanks for listening. And if you've read this far...really, thanks.
I've got two other posts sitting in the queue with pics detailing some of my organization craziness so far. And more pics of the new insane kitty girl (still no Sundae...truly, I think she's disappeared for the long haul), and other things. It will all come....in time...
First, I woke up realizing that it was daytime, and I panicked because I thought I'd overslept, and therefore we'd be late getting Liam to school. Liam is at school already. Because it's 3 in the afternoon...and I took him to school this morning. Check one.
I woke up with my heartbeat doing flip-flops from sheer frustration. Why, you ponder? A dream. A dream in which I was so frustrated with anger that it was making me physically sick.
So what happened you ask? This is the beauty of Blogger...I can tell you all my dream and make it all better. Just like I used to tell my mommy my bad dreams and then I could go back to sleep. Only I don't think I'm going to go back to sleep. Another solution will have to do. Anyway. Back to the dream.
So I'm at school. And each of my professors has given an assignment that is due this weekend. And each of these assignments involves a boatload of research and/or prep work. So I meet up with a few of my friends in the hopes of working on it. My friends happen to be some of the girls I used to go to school with at the local university who are now enjoying further education while I am enjoying a third pregnancy. Naturally, we haven't seen each other in a while and we're feeling a bit chatty. So why study at the library? Someone has the brilliant idea to study at the mall. Where there is a ton of distraction. And I can't get anything accomplished. And deadlines are looming, and I'm starting to panic.
So I decide that maybe I might go and find a quiet table at the library. Only someone interrupts me. A boy that I don't really know, but I do know he has a crush on me (funny, that, considering I'm now approaching my 7th month of pregnancy and round as a soccerball). So he lures me away for a few minutes filling my ear with sweet nothings, and then I remember. Oh yeah. Got studying to do. So I escape and return to my friends at the crowded mall and realize that my backpack that was carrying my things has now morphed into several large plastic bags stuffed so full of papers, clothing, and other stuff that I now have to get back to my car...because it all needs taken care of. Assignments to be done...laundry to be folded...
I come to the realization that nothing is going to get done with all those people and noise going on, so I grab my plastic bags stuffed with stuff and bid my friends adieu while they protest that I'm a party pooper. On my way to the car, I decide that I need a bathroom break (I am pregnant after all), so I drag all my things to the bathroom. While there, the cutie pie who wanted to lick my ear off earlier decides that I need a little more help being distracted, and he's snuck himself into the bathroom, which is more like an old shower you might find at the beach with concrete floors and heavy vinyl shower curtains around the toilet stalls. Water begins to seep from around the potties with me none the wiser. I was brushing my teeth or doing something else and looking in the mirror (narcissistic much?) until I realize that the bags that contain my belongings are becoming waterlogged, and how will I get my homework done if it's wet?
So I realize the boy is behind it, and I give him a good verbal lashing and drag my things out of the bathroom. In the meantime, my oh-so-friendly friends have decided that I really don't need to leave and have somehow confiscated my keys. So I'm dragging my wet things across the lot and can't find my car or my keys.
I get on the phone with my hubby who is conveniently at home making dinner (which I usually consider a very helpful thing), but since my friends are being a pain in the butt, I'm begging him to come and rescue me and my wet things. He refuses, because, well, he's cooking, and shouldn't I just listen to them for once?
So I track down my friends and am basically wrestling with them to see if I can find my keys in their purses. I grab one friend's set and frantically hit the lock button hoping to locate my car, but no luck. I repeat the process with two other friend's sets with the same result. Finally, I tackle the boy and wrestle my keys from him. Bingo! I can hear my car's horn beeping from somewhere in the lot. I drag myself to the car and realize that my friends have hijacked my things and are now stuffing the wet stuff into the van willy nilly. Of course, they are coming to the realization that the plastic bags which once held my things but have now grown to the sizes of cars themselves will not all fit in my van. It is at this point, I think that I start crying in my dream. Someone (a woman, but I'm not sure who) sees me crying and starts laughing. "It's not funny, I say." "Of course it is," she responds. I am finding it hard to find the humor in the situation, so I call my husband again crying. He mentions that he's still making dinner, and I need to cut it out. But I'm never going to be able to finish my work, and it won't all fit in the van...and I'm losing control...It's at this point that I become hysterical and begin screaming, crying, thrashing about, and pitching "the big one" nelly, when thankfully, I woke up. Only I woke up in a panic. Because I thought it was morning...and I was late...
Ok, Freud. So what's this all mean? Oh, I could analyze this bad boy all day long. Could be that I've finally hit critical mass with the amount of things that I really need to do and feel like I have no way to get them all finished by the stated deadline? And that I feel like no one can help me, or that everyone is, in fact, being a hindrance? Could it all be so literal?
Take this upcoming weekend for example. A couple of weeks ago I went to Michigan for our annual birth network meeting and conference. I came away feeling pretty jazzed about what we could accomplish this year, as did our other NEO chapter leader. So I came back home and started making lists and working on tasks to get a few things done. Like our much desperately needed membership drive and resource guide. Which we've finally set dates for getting out. Which come very soon. Eeep!
In addition, this weekend is a baby fair, so I need to get things ready for that. Which means a lot of printing, brainstorming, etc.
And I've got a mountain of prep work to do for my final session of teacher training for K**aplan which is on the same day as the baby fair.
And I've got three months left until the baby comes, so I've been trying to get the house purged of excess crap in the hopes of making it easier to keep clean once the baby gets here (well, and because it really needed done anyway), and that has been an enormous task considering the amount of junk we've accumulated in the 8 years that we've been here, and the fact that neither of us is really great about pitching stuff. Well, one of us really has a hard time with it. And it ain't me. No room for that in this house, though...not with 3 kids, that's for sure!
Oh, and there's Sock Wars. I don't want to get assassinated right out of the starting gate (one sock down, one to go), on top of the fact that knitting is therapy! So I've got to get on that, too.
Thing is...I know I've got a ton of help. Hubby is FANTASTIC about helping with the kids and stuff so I can get my prep work done. He's pretty much had the kids every Sunday since I started teacher training, and some Saturdays, too, since I've had a couple other things on the weekend. The man does indeed cook dinner. More frequently than I care to admit, as he's the one working, and I'm the one who's supposed to be at home. He's also in the midst of trying to get an abstract sent off in the hopes that we might be able to go together to a conference overseas (oh please, oh please, engineering gods, make it so!) next spring. And he has a dissertation that needs to be done some time this decade so he can be Dr. Hubby. Poor guy. It's no wonder he doesn't have dreams like I do. Or maybe he does...hmm....
My in-laws are also fantastic about offering to help if we ask. They frequently take the kids if we're in a pinch on child care, and I know they enjoy every minute of it.
So what's my dealio? *shrug* Dunno. Perfectionism, perhaps? Because if any of you knows me...(and I know that some of you who are reading this truly do) I am a horrible perfectionist. I can do it all...and my way is the only correct way. Ugh. Really, I do need a good thumping.
Maybe it's time for me to call in the troops and delegate a bit. I've done that a little these past couple of days. The neighbor girl was BEGGING for some babysitting time, and knowing that hubby really needs to spend time working on his stuff, I agreed to let her come hang with the boys for a couple of hours so I could hide out in the den and work on stuff. Like this totally unecessary post. Okay. It is necessary. Needed to vent. So I could move on. And be productive. Right?
And this weekend I'll be rallying the birth troops to help with some of the other stuff. For now, I think I just need to hang. Thanks for listening. And if you've read this far...really, thanks.
I've got two other posts sitting in the queue with pics detailing some of my organization craziness so far. And more pics of the new insane kitty girl (still no Sundae...truly, I think she's disappeared for the long haul), and other things. It will all come....in time...
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
A trip in my UFOs
Like many knitters, I commit project polygamy, which in turn often means that there are a few unfinished items gathering dust (fuzz, pet hair, you name it) lying about. Some are in my knitting bag, some were in various baskets, some in bins, and some in the cedar chest. This weekend, in the process of the Great Stash Reorganization, I went through and distributed these to two bags. One for frogging and repurposing and another for finishing. So what has the Bunnie been working on for the past, oh, say 5 years or so? I keep hoping that actually putting this stuff into cyberspace will somehow give me the motivation to actually stick with the plans to either rip or finish. I'd go in chronological order as to when I started these, but I can't remember exactly when, and some were cast on almost at the same time!
Starting with Fuzzy Feet, started when Crazy Aunt Purl had some going...only I ran out of yarn to complete the knitting and couldn't find more in the same color. To be frogged.
Mama Halter from Little Turtle Knits. I decided I didn't like this in the variegated cotton, so it's to be frogged.
Baby blanket from Debbie Bliss pattern. Done up in acrylic, I hated the way it felt. I will redo this one in cotton probably...or washable wool. This was actually relegated to the circular receptacle. Not worth frogging.
Ribby wrap from LTK. Enjoyed knitting the pattern but I ran out of steam when it came to the finishing, and I didn't like how it turned out. Love the handpainted yarn I got from her, so this will be frogged and repurposed into something else.
LTK soaker. Loved knitting it but I made a mistake and didn't do the short row shaping, so it wouldn't fit anyone's fanny. I might redo and this one properly.
Checkerboard intarsia purse from a Bernat pattern. Can you just say ridiculous number of ends to weave in? I lost steam when I realized I was going to have to do all that weaving in of ends. Blech. That and I could never keep track of what row I was on because of the texture of the yarn.
Cardigan from Debbie Bliss pattern that I reworked the gauge to use alpaca yarn. Love the yarn (except for the pilling and that it breaks when you try to sew with it...but soooo soft and sooo warm). Just needs me to finish the hood and sew in zipper. Oh, how I hate finishing. Can you tell?
Sophie bag in Manos del Uruguay that I realized partway through that I didn't have enough yarn to complete. Which sucks...because I love the yarn and the pattern. I really want to do something with this Manos, but I don't think I have enough to do much more than a hat or scarf.
Vegan fox from Knitty. For a friend. I made one in red, but I never found a home for it, and I think it scared people. I may just frog and redo as a plain scarf.
Butterfly purse from Debbie Bliss pattern. I made a few of these as Christmas gifts, but they really need a lining and zipper, and I'm not so good with that finishing thing. I used the bottom of this purse to practice some embroidery stuff for a hat that I did, and that needs to be taken out before I can seam this one. I do think I'd like to finish it...and do a zipper in it. Really, what I need to do is pay someone to do the finishing that I don't enjoy.
We'll see how long these hang out in the unfinished and TBF (to be frogged) bags. Tune in later!
Starting with Fuzzy Feet, started when Crazy Aunt Purl had some going...only I ran out of yarn to complete the knitting and couldn't find more in the same color. To be frogged.
Mama Halter from Little Turtle Knits. I decided I didn't like this in the variegated cotton, so it's to be frogged.
Baby blanket from Debbie Bliss pattern. Done up in acrylic, I hated the way it felt. I will redo this one in cotton probably...or washable wool. This was actually relegated to the circular receptacle. Not worth frogging.
Ribby wrap from LTK. Enjoyed knitting the pattern but I ran out of steam when it came to the finishing, and I didn't like how it turned out. Love the handpainted yarn I got from her, so this will be frogged and repurposed into something else.
LTK soaker. Loved knitting it but I made a mistake and didn't do the short row shaping, so it wouldn't fit anyone's fanny. I might redo and this one properly.
Checkerboard intarsia purse from a Bernat pattern. Can you just say ridiculous number of ends to weave in? I lost steam when I realized I was going to have to do all that weaving in of ends. Blech. That and I could never keep track of what row I was on because of the texture of the yarn.
Cardigan from Debbie Bliss pattern that I reworked the gauge to use alpaca yarn. Love the yarn (except for the pilling and that it breaks when you try to sew with it...but soooo soft and sooo warm). Just needs me to finish the hood and sew in zipper. Oh, how I hate finishing. Can you tell?
Sophie bag in Manos del Uruguay that I realized partway through that I didn't have enough yarn to complete. Which sucks...because I love the yarn and the pattern. I really want to do something with this Manos, but I don't think I have enough to do much more than a hat or scarf.
Vegan fox from Knitty. For a friend. I made one in red, but I never found a home for it, and I think it scared people. I may just frog and redo as a plain scarf.
Butterfly purse from Debbie Bliss pattern. I made a few of these as Christmas gifts, but they really need a lining and zipper, and I'm not so good with that finishing thing. I used the bottom of this purse to practice some embroidery stuff for a hat that I did, and that needs to be taken out before I can seam this one. I do think I'd like to finish it...and do a zipper in it. Really, what I need to do is pay someone to do the finishing that I don't enjoy.
We'll see how long these hang out in the unfinished and TBF (to be frogged) bags. Tune in later!
Obladee Obladah
Post created Sept. 12...so a little while ago, but I thought you'd like to see my stash organization project...
Life has just been going on for the past week or so. Been trying to get caught up on things while at the same time not getting too far behind on others. The house is out of control (which is to be expected somewhat when the space is small and there are two small boys around), and I'm feeling the fall urge to purge.
The one thing that needed some serious attention was my yarn stash. Last April Fool's Day was "Flash Your Stash" Day, and I have to say, there were some stashes that I was quite envious of.
Mine has been languishing in the cedar chest downstairs for as long as I can remember now, and despite having gone through it several times and weeding out UFOs that will never be finished, my stash has never been neat or organized. Which means that when I'm looking to see if I have a particular yarn that will fit the substitution bill, I seem to come up short pretty frequently. Which means more stash enhancement. Which means more yarn in the chest.
So with Sock Wars looming and my having to find a DK weight yarn to use (ugh...and I'm finding that most of what I have is either acrylic or cotton/something not good for socks blends), I bit the bullet and forced myself to actually put some organization to the stash and the accoutrements to go along with it, as I have been having a hard time finding needles lately.
I apologize for all the rotten pictures with flash, but the downstairs is really just a nicely finished basement, so natural light doesn't really exist down there unless you're in the laundry room or the utility room.
I've noticed that most of my stash is actually worsted acrylic blends. Most likely because I have children, and I'm not good at washing wool. I do love to knit with wool, though. I've also realized that for as much as I enjoy knitting socks, I don't have nearly enough sock yarn.
One bag has projects to be frogged, but I don't own a swift or a ball winder, so doing that is kind of a daunting task. I also have plenty of work that needs to be finished. One of my resolutions that will need addressing some time.
Life has just been going on for the past week or so. Been trying to get caught up on things while at the same time not getting too far behind on others. The house is out of control (which is to be expected somewhat when the space is small and there are two small boys around), and I'm feeling the fall urge to purge.
The one thing that needed some serious attention was my yarn stash. Last April Fool's Day was "Flash Your Stash" Day, and I have to say, there were some stashes that I was quite envious of.
Mine has been languishing in the cedar chest downstairs for as long as I can remember now, and despite having gone through it several times and weeding out UFOs that will never be finished, my stash has never been neat or organized. Which means that when I'm looking to see if I have a particular yarn that will fit the substitution bill, I seem to come up short pretty frequently. Which means more stash enhancement. Which means more yarn in the chest.
So with Sock Wars looming and my having to find a DK weight yarn to use (ugh...and I'm finding that most of what I have is either acrylic or cotton/something not good for socks blends), I bit the bullet and forced myself to actually put some organization to the stash and the accoutrements to go along with it, as I have been having a hard time finding needles lately.
I apologize for all the rotten pictures with flash, but the downstairs is really just a nicely finished basement, so natural light doesn't really exist down there unless you're in the laundry room or the utility room.
I've noticed that most of my stash is actually worsted acrylic blends. Most likely because I have children, and I'm not good at washing wool. I do love to knit with wool, though. I've also realized that for as much as I enjoy knitting socks, I don't have nearly enough sock yarn.
One bag has projects to be frogged, but I don't own a swift or a ball winder, so doing that is kind of a daunting task. I also have plenty of work that needs to be finished. One of my resolutions that will need addressing some time.
Monday, September 04, 2006
Neely
My hubby has recently said to me, "You're going to be one of those crazy cat ladies when you get old, aren't you. When people see you, they'll say, hey, that's the cat lady. She's got like 40 cats living in her house." Now why would the love of my life say something like that? Because it's probably true.
Some people are just not animal people. Some are animal lovers without a favorite species. Some are definite dog people, while others are most definitely cat people. Now, while I consider myself a general animal lover (I made a pet out of an inchworm as a kid), it has become completely obvious that I am a cat person. Not to say that I don't like dogs, I do. Even have one that has me pretty well trained. But it's something about those 4-legged quadrupeds of the feline persuasion that I am just not able to resist.
So I went to the shelter Thursday to look for Sundae, and met a buff-colored tabby that had the sweetest disposition. After reading her description on the side of the cage ("loves to cuddle...will probably want to sleep with you...purrs if you're just in the room with her"), and rubbing her while I waited to see if they knew anything about Sundae, I fell for her. I went home thinking of Sundae, hoping she has a warm bed and that someone is feeding her well, but I also couldn't get that little kitten at the shelter out of my mind. The kids were with me and thought she was pretty sweet, too. So Friday afternoon after getting Liam from school, we drove out to the shelter to see if she was still there. Sure enough, there she was. I give kudos to the shelter for making sure that we were a good fit. The gal who fostered the kitten since she arrived at the shelter at 4 weeks of age asked me a ton of questions and wanted to see the kids with her to make sure that Neely, the name she was given at the shelter, was going to a safe home. After holding her and having her snuggle right into my shoulder, I knew I had to bring her home with me, so we signed the adoption papers.
Liam wanted to be the one to help put her in the carrier and haul her to the car. I was sure we were in for a long ride home with lots of yowling, but the kitty didn't make a peep the whole way. Once we were home, she made herself right at home. The other two cats don't think much of her, but the dog has welcomed her right in.
She very closely resembles my Pound Kitty that I've had since I was a kid
Jonah plays string games with Neely
She is every bit as lovey dovey as the description on her cage mentioned. It's fun to have a playful kitten again, as our two older cats don't play as much these days. She loves plastic bags, snuggling like a baby, and perching on my shoulder, particularly when there's food around. She is completely fascinated by the toilet and pretty much any other water source she's managed to find in the house. If she hears the toilet flushing, she will run in from rooms away to get a peek into the bowl before we close the lid.
How she sleeps like this is beyond me...
We're still holding out hope that Sundae will be found. I'm planning on going door to door over this holiday weekend to see if anyone has seen her.
Some people are just not animal people. Some are animal lovers without a favorite species. Some are definite dog people, while others are most definitely cat people. Now, while I consider myself a general animal lover (I made a pet out of an inchworm as a kid), it has become completely obvious that I am a cat person. Not to say that I don't like dogs, I do. Even have one that has me pretty well trained. But it's something about those 4-legged quadrupeds of the feline persuasion that I am just not able to resist.
So I went to the shelter Thursday to look for Sundae, and met a buff-colored tabby that had the sweetest disposition. After reading her description on the side of the cage ("loves to cuddle...will probably want to sleep with you...purrs if you're just in the room with her"), and rubbing her while I waited to see if they knew anything about Sundae, I fell for her. I went home thinking of Sundae, hoping she has a warm bed and that someone is feeding her well, but I also couldn't get that little kitten at the shelter out of my mind. The kids were with me and thought she was pretty sweet, too. So Friday afternoon after getting Liam from school, we drove out to the shelter to see if she was still there. Sure enough, there she was. I give kudos to the shelter for making sure that we were a good fit. The gal who fostered the kitten since she arrived at the shelter at 4 weeks of age asked me a ton of questions and wanted to see the kids with her to make sure that Neely, the name she was given at the shelter, was going to a safe home. After holding her and having her snuggle right into my shoulder, I knew I had to bring her home with me, so we signed the adoption papers.
Liam wanted to be the one to help put her in the carrier and haul her to the car. I was sure we were in for a long ride home with lots of yowling, but the kitty didn't make a peep the whole way. Once we were home, she made herself right at home. The other two cats don't think much of her, but the dog has welcomed her right in.
She very closely resembles my Pound Kitty that I've had since I was a kid
Jonah plays string games with NeelyShe is every bit as lovey dovey as the description on her cage mentioned. It's fun to have a playful kitten again, as our two older cats don't play as much these days. She loves plastic bags, snuggling like a baby, and perching on my shoulder, particularly when there's food around. She is completely fascinated by the toilet and pretty much any other water source she's managed to find in the house. If she hears the toilet flushing, she will run in from rooms away to get a peek into the bowl before we close the lid.
How she sleeps like this is beyond me...Thursday, August 31, 2006
Where is my Chocolate Caramel Sundae?
One of our kitties has gone MIA. She disappeared a few days ago and hasn't been seen since. She was a stray that found her way into our hearts not long after we moved here 8 long years ago, and with her coloring, hubby christened her Chocolate Caramel Sundae (Just Sundae for short). She had been an inside cat after we took her in, but this summer, she made her mind up that she was ready for some outside exploration. Every chance she'd get, she would hide by the doors, and the minute any of us (particularly the boys) would open the screen door to go outside, she was off like a shot. Usually she hung out right in our neighborhood, and if any of us were outside, she was sure to be wherever we were at. She also had me convinced that she was suffering from delusions that she was a canine. She made friends with every dog that walks this block regularly, greeting them nose to nose and rubbing her body on them as if to mark them as her territory. Most of the dogs didn't know what to think. It's amazing that she didn't disappear sooner as a very furry dog treat.
Her typical lounging spots were under the neighbors' cars or in our driveway or under the butterfly bushes in the neighbor's landscaping. She was always spunky and for someone so light in weight, when she stood on my lap, it felt like she had little peg legs.
I've done the neighborhood drive by and haven't seen any sign of her and checked the local animal shelter with no luck. Our next move is likely an ad in the paper and some LOST posters. My guess to this point is that she followed someone home who was walking the block, and they assumed she had no owner (we had removed her collar earlier in the day to put her flea meds on and didn't get the chance to put it back on before she escaped). She is super duper friendly, and I'm sure she won someone's heart. I just wish she'd left a note.
Her typical lounging spots were under the neighbors' cars or in our driveway or under the butterfly bushes in the neighbor's landscaping. She was always spunky and for someone so light in weight, when she stood on my lap, it felt like she had little peg legs.
I've done the neighborhood drive by and haven't seen any sign of her and checked the local animal shelter with no luck. Our next move is likely an ad in the paper and some LOST posters. My guess to this point is that she followed someone home who was walking the block, and they assumed she had no owner (we had removed her collar earlier in the day to put her flea meds on and didn't get the chance to put it back on before she escaped). She is super duper friendly, and I'm sure she won someone's heart. I just wish she'd left a note.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
A womb with a view: bandwidth-sucking photos ahead!
As my profile will tell you, I'm a little bit of a birth nut, and I really enjoy the whole process of being pregnant. Now that I'm halfway there with this baby, I've gone through that little ritual that has become routine (I'll not bore you with how I really feel about routine ultrasound, but I digress) for the happiness of my hubby and to help everyone around feel more comfortable with our choice to have another homebirth.
Hubby loves the ultrasound because he doesn't really get to enjoy all of the daily rollicking, furniture rearranging, and general gymnastics that babies do in-utero. It helps him to get started on that bonding process, and I must say that he is well bonded with our children. In addition, he enjoys finding out what the sex of the baby is, thus to better start prodding me with unusual permutations on bizarre or ethnic names. (Magnus has been his strong male name since we conceived our first. My mantra in reply has been, "we're not naming this kid Magnus, and besides we're not even Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, whatever background the name comes from, nor will our child likely ever be a Strongman." Ultramarathoner perhaps or even Lance Armstrong wannabe, but no Magnus Samuelsson, I'm afraid. Turns out Great Grandma was straight off the boat from Sweden. Good thing this is a girl this time. Yup...a girl!!)
After several failed attempts due to my boneheadedness, tardiness, and the general lack of communication between physician's offices, we finally had our ultrasound last week. I treat you now to a few pictures of our lovely fetus, who has yet to be nicknamed.
Feet
Profile
Baby gives her best Miss America wave
In addition, here's a picture of me growing nicely. Forgive the smudgy mirror and the disaster that is the kids' playroom.
I've been dubbed Queen of Roundness. Yeah, I got curves.
Hubby loves the ultrasound because he doesn't really get to enjoy all of the daily rollicking, furniture rearranging, and general gymnastics that babies do in-utero. It helps him to get started on that bonding process, and I must say that he is well bonded with our children. In addition, he enjoys finding out what the sex of the baby is, thus to better start prodding me with unusual permutations on bizarre or ethnic names. (Magnus has been his strong male name since we conceived our first. My mantra in reply has been, "we're not naming this kid Magnus, and besides we're not even Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, whatever background the name comes from, nor will our child likely ever be a Strongman." Ultramarathoner perhaps or even Lance Armstrong wannabe, but no Magnus Samuelsson, I'm afraid. Turns out Great Grandma was straight off the boat from Sweden. Good thing this is a girl this time. Yup...a girl!!)
After several failed attempts due to my boneheadedness, tardiness, and the general lack of communication between physician's offices, we finally had our ultrasound last week. I treat you now to a few pictures of our lovely fetus, who has yet to be nicknamed.
Feet
Profile
Baby gives her best Miss America waveIn addition, here's a picture of me growing nicely. Forgive the smudgy mirror and the disaster that is the kids' playroom.
I've been dubbed Queen of Roundness. Yeah, I got curves."Sock"er practice
I finished my second blue stripety sock several days ago, but never got around to posting the finished pics of it. The socks are perhaps a little on the snug side, likely because I could have used a few more rows before beginning my toe shaping. To say I'm impatient would be putting it mildly. I do really like them, but I'm actually thinking I might send these to my sister, whom I miss very much. The socks are no where close to identical, but I think they still look great together.
Socks Off, Socks On...
Details of the pattern: Autumn Leaves from Socks, Socks, Socks reworked with my gauge (8 sts/inch) using Socks 101 from Knitty. I did do the slip stitch heel instead of the one listed in the destructions for Socks 101.
Needles: Susan Bates (or some other Jo-Ann brand) size 1 metal needles, which actually weren't as bad as I thought they'd be to knit with. From size 4 on up, they're too heavy for me to knit with.
Yarn: 100% cotton Crazy Cotton by Schachenmayr in color 87, 2 skeins and a smidge (long bunnie feet, ya know)
After a little S.E.X. at the LYS and the procurement of 5-packs of bamboo needles in sizes 0, 1, and 2, I quickly cast on for a toe-up sock following Indigirl's Universal Toe-Up Sock Worksheet.
The sock's intended recipient was to have been my oldest, but following an oversight in mathmatics (uh, yeah, reasons why I'm not an engineer. Careless with the Math.), the sock better fits my youngest. Here he is modeling the finished product.
How could you not love these wide feet?
He has some room to grow in it (which is good given his recent growth spurt), and because it's 100% cotton (not the best choice for socks, but when I bought the yarn, I did not know that.), it doesn't have a whole lot of give to it, so the extra room is good. I loved knitting this sock. The toe-up short-row design is clever, and I love Amy's worksheet and the possibilities for embellishment. Methinks some newborn socks are also in my future....more on that later.
My trip to the LYS resulted not only in new needles, but also new stash. I picked up 3 skeins of Katia Mississippi 3 print (60% cotton, 40% acrylic, a better choice for socks, I think) in a colorway that reminds me of rainbow sherbet. I may have two socks in the works at once...the second blue stripety for the little guy, and one for myself, as I'm having a hard time resisting the urge to cast on with the new sock yarn. I'm thinking of something with a little bit of lace or picot edging. I'm really coveting some other new sock yarn (Blue Moon colorways, how I love thee...) given how much I've been enjoying knitting socks, and in particular how much I like doing toe-up socks. I've been needing near-instant gratification, and socks seem to fit the bill lately. Gotta get my practice up for Sock Wars, you know. Got new people to meet and assassinate by socks.
Rainbow Sherbet...yum.
Socks Off, Socks On...Details of the pattern: Autumn Leaves from Socks, Socks, Socks reworked with my gauge (8 sts/inch) using Socks 101 from Knitty. I did do the slip stitch heel instead of the one listed in the destructions for Socks 101.
Needles: Susan Bates (or some other Jo-Ann brand) size 1 metal needles, which actually weren't as bad as I thought they'd be to knit with. From size 4 on up, they're too heavy for me to knit with.
Yarn: 100% cotton Crazy Cotton by Schachenmayr in color 87, 2 skeins and a smidge (long bunnie feet, ya know)
After a little S.E.X. at the LYS and the procurement of 5-packs of bamboo needles in sizes 0, 1, and 2, I quickly cast on for a toe-up sock following Indigirl's Universal Toe-Up Sock Worksheet.
The sock's intended recipient was to have been my oldest, but following an oversight in mathmatics (uh, yeah, reasons why I'm not an engineer. Careless with the Math.), the sock better fits my youngest. Here he is modeling the finished product.
How could you not love these wide feet?My trip to the LYS resulted not only in new needles, but also new stash. I picked up 3 skeins of Katia Mississippi 3 print (60% cotton, 40% acrylic, a better choice for socks, I think) in a colorway that reminds me of rainbow sherbet. I may have two socks in the works at once...the second blue stripety for the little guy, and one for myself, as I'm having a hard time resisting the urge to cast on with the new sock yarn. I'm thinking of something with a little bit of lace or picot edging. I'm really coveting some other new sock yarn (Blue Moon colorways, how I love thee...) given how much I've been enjoying knitting socks, and in particular how much I like doing toe-up socks. I've been needing near-instant gratification, and socks seem to fit the bill lately. Gotta get my practice up for Sock Wars, you know. Got new people to meet and assassinate by socks.
Rainbow Sherbet...yum.First Day of Kindergarten
My favorite holiday has arrived again. Yes, the first day of school. Hip, hip, hooray! This year, Liam is officially kindergarten and no longer preschool. This year is also the first year that he will be attending a few full day classes. He's been asking since the beginning of last year if he could stay full day, but we knew that he wasn't really ready yet. This year, I think the full day will be really good for him, as it will get him a little taste of what to expect in first grade next year.
Hangin' with his best buddy
He woke yesterday morning with great excitement about the day. He washed and dressed in near record time, but when it came time to sit and eat, mass chaos descended. Suddenly the rain boots we'd bought weren't comfortable, and all was wrong with the world. He wasn't hungry and wasn't going to eat breakfast and dissolved into a puddle of wailing and crying and carrying on about the sad state of things. We eventually sent him back up to sit in bed until it was time to go. After some quiet time to think, he decided that his boots were fine after all, and he ate in the car. All was sunshine and roses again. Once we got to school, he immediately latched on to old friends, and it was as if the long summer break never happened. All except that he was now the second tallest of all the children in the meadow followed only behind a good friend from class last year. Over the summer, he must have grown several inches, and he now is taller than the friends that he was as tall as or shorter than at the end of the school year. Amazing how they can shoot up in just a few months. Jonah, for example, grew 2 shoe sizes in 3 months, and now is taller than some of the preschoolers in the 3 and 4 year old class.
The teacher's assistant escorts the children to the train
Jonah was probably the funniest part of Liam's first day of school. He made himself right at home in the meadow, while the other children his age were still clinging to their parent's sides. When the teachers rang the hand bell, and the Pavlovian response brought the children back to the wagons to line up, Jonah got into line with the nursery kindergarten class, ready to go. He was disappointed to learn that he wouldn't be going to school, and asked when we were going to go see his classroom. I informed him that potty training and turning three would be necessary goals to reach first. Needless to say, he didn't agree.
Little man in big bro's jacket
Once the children went in, Jonah decided that he needed Liam's sweatshirt to keep him warm, and the sight of the little guy in big brother's oversized jacket with the floppy rainboots was enough to get me shutter-happy. I let him play on the playground for a little while and then we headed home. It was strange to be back to one-on-one versus on-on-two, but kinda nice. Much easier to cope, and I think the little guy relished the extra attention.
On picking our young man up from school, he decided that full day kindergarten was great, but that naptime was "really long." Not surprising, since he never has been good at napping.
Hangin' with his best buddy
The teacher's assistant escorts the children to the train
Little man in big bro's jacketOnce the children went in, Jonah decided that he needed Liam's sweatshirt to keep him warm, and the sight of the little guy in big brother's oversized jacket with the floppy rainboots was enough to get me shutter-happy. I let him play on the playground for a little while and then we headed home. It was strange to be back to one-on-one versus on-on-two, but kinda nice. Much easier to cope, and I think the little guy relished the extra attention.
On picking our young man up from school, he decided that full day kindergarten was great, but that naptime was "really long." Not surprising, since he never has been good at napping.
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