Ladder wrap pattern

per Ravelry I am posting my ladder wrap pattern here :
CO 18 sts with 8 YO's (once every two sts)
1:(k2,yo)
2:(p2,yo)rep.
thats it and b.o. when the yarn ball ends.![alt text][1]


Also I am adding my pattern for Hot flames Man sweater:


I used one each of the classic wool. The flame design on the bottom is a reverse of the “hot rod socks” graph by PinkLemon aka Melanie Gibbons. It was the best one to match my husband’s flame cane. And I liked it much better than the ones I came up with.
on each piece you will leave off 2 sts on one end. hence 3.8 and 6.8 repeats on pattern
note this on your graph to keep the pattern in order.
Front C.O. 45 sts in red for FRS and FLS rep flames 2.8x . @ 17 in. B.O. 2sts (5x) over 10r K side for right and P side for left. @20.5 In. B.O. 1st (6x) over 12r, P side for right front,K side for left front. K four rows then B.O. or hold all(24sts)

Back C.O. 110 for back in red. follow flame patt. 6.8x
at 17in B.O. 10 sts on each side ;then 2 sts every opposite row(5x) continue to 22in you will B.O. for neck shaping:B.O. 8 sts, then 1 st(6x) left side then knit to 24 in. hold sts. (25 sts)
Sleeves : C.O. eight and knit 24 rows ,crochet seam to BLS and FLS with matching yarn ;each row to a b/f st. with one Bst. left>just st two tog.
P.U. sts around sleeve hole(75sts ttl.) on B&F knit in the round to 1in before wrist bone. begin: k1sl1 round, Kall round, repeat for 2 in. B.O.

Once sweater is seamed, add a 2-4 inch red bottom by:P.U. all bottom sts. (K1,Sl1),( P knit sts and knit sl sts. ) rep. 2 rows to prevent rolling.

the finished sweater will have a zip front and a k1sk1, p1 k1( as sleeves) collar for stiffness
and possibly side pockets If I can figure out how I want them.

So lazy,

Here I go again tryin to re-vamp this thing. really it's not that I'm lazy so much as I have other things I need to do and of course sharing my life on the webbernets just weirds me out a bit. I mean I'm not that interesting. BUT I am off gardening again, I just can't give up on it. Fortunately every year I seem to get better at it. Four butternut squash, A dozen large tomatoes so far, three banana peppers and four watermelons, An enormous amount of basil And the rest of tomatoes, bell peppers, and squashes haven't come out yet. It all seems to be going or GROWING slowly, I gave up on the organic thing, mainly because I'd actually LIKE to eat something and not watch the bugs slowly devour the pathetic little wannabes.
Still nothing new on PG's back injury. edit for anonymity
I finished my Solas Caohm(IC-SPRING09) for the bookstore baby. It's not quite up to the pattern but I ran out of yarn and this thing is plenty big as is. I used chunky yarn. I want to make another one soon, in cotton and up to pattern standards, but first I have to adjust the pockets on PG's sweater since they're not big enough. Durn giant hands. Then I have to add to the bottom and sleeves of Cait's sweater from last year so it'll fit this year. I wonder if I'll have a chance to make me a sweater this year, or maybe if I'm really lucky I'll get to start on a shawl.

Falling off the face of the Earth

Nope, I haven't done it. Summer is just A crazy hectic time, and really there's not much to blog of then. I'm attempting to get back in the habit now. Especially since PG has made his own blog. I don't really know what all or how much he'll have to say, but I feel i should write too just because... yes I know not too terribly mature, but I've had to be mature far too often so :P. Over the summer I have made pathetic attempts at gardening, made a clothes line to try and cut down the ever growing electric costs, Helped to control the pet population x2, and succeeded in pissing of my mother yet again. Yea me. I have currently 8 tomato plants a light sprinkle of greens( pitiful really) and seedlings for spinach, lettuce and basil. this is usually the final stage of growth for me. All the turnips -may they rest in peace- burnt to a crisp so I think later in the month I will try, try again. no raspberries, they failed on all fronts. my non edibles are getting on fabulously though. The caladiums are springing up new shoots almost every day, and my daisies haven't died yet. maybe by winter I will have a successful compost growing, and then I can mix it for spring planting and turn out a better crop.
On the knitting front I have gotten much done, busting about 5 lbs roughly of yarn into functioning wearables or cat snuggles(think security blankets. I have a lot of things in my queue on RAV that I may or may not finish this year, but I also have a lot of things in my head that I want to get done before Christmas/sol. I am learning to make soap, not from scratch but the glycerin and additives. I have three lovely bars on my counter cooling right now. If they go over well, I may start making them for the farmers market to sell along side some washcloths and such. Other than that my life has been just typical stuff really, and Off I go agian to live some more of it.

Finally

I have something to blog about at last. My summers are usually dull so I Don't really care to bore any lurking readers with mundane nonsense. But today I finished PG's ribbed man socks, and I'm STILL working on the stole that I started Before the socks. Sometimes I don't think it wants to get finished, really, I have stitches hiding under stitches, And erratia I (fortunatly) found on ravelry that isn't posted on the site. I would like to buy some yarnage from a few new online sources like Knitivity's store, but I am on a yarn diet until I reduce some of my stash and at least get a couple of wraps done.
I also Finally have a lawnmower * joy of Joys* and I don't have to spend near as long mowing the grass and therefore have more time to plant and prune. I bought some various daisies from Lowe's to put in place of the bell peppers that never grew. and I have three tomatoes , not really red OR big yet but still tomatoes. organic gardening is SOO incredibly hard. Those damn beetles are eating the leaves off my Toms and greens. The squirrels and doggo have eaten half of my raspberry vinlings And a caladium bulb.I'm hoping Squirrel on that last one at least.
In 'electronic news: My camera has NO batteries And is being rather wonky about the rechargeable ones, hence no pictures of said destruction and projects. Kiddo smashed her DVD player the DAY before I went and bought 'The Spiderwick Chronicles' so I've had to endure it at least 3 times a day in here in the living room.Physics Guy doesn't seem to mind all that much As I have gotten him hooked on Populous(Cd Rom) again, SO He's trying to figure it out. When he's on the computer the force is impenetrable. Which is a triumph for me, at last a game that I am good at that he is not besides backgammon!
And the funny: The best most hilarious thing to do is buy a bag of chicken feet from the meat store( who eats this shit really, I want to know) and place three on kitchen floor around kittens. Pouncing and hilarity will ensue.
Especially when one doggo decides he wants to try and TAKE the kittens chicken feet. Not a good idea. Kittens do have very sharp claws despite their fuzzy cute exterior.

Work sucks

I have not been on here to blog in a couple of weeks, I am a bad bad blogger:( But When the hubby is home I can get NOTHING done. I mainly sit on ravelry or clean. that is it. I am still working on the cobweb lace stole, which is taking quite a long time for me. I expect as much from a lace project, but man I am usually on top of these things. I am also working on a pair of socks for Physics guy, since I haven't made him anything substantial ( the boobie pillow doesn't count). and He really needs a pair of quality socks. I quit the aran lobster sock for now, I am not in the mood for cotton. I think my garden hates me, All I am growing are tomatoes and paltry raspberry leaves. everyone else has withered to crap. I am going to add some more cow poo in the fall and go for some more torture then. Southeast Georgia is not the place for gardening in the summer heat. Not for me anyway. Well that is all the excitement for now. Maybe I'll have something good tomorrow. I'll try harder.

Quilted china doll Socks

I Finally finished my new pattern And man It was fun. THe only thing I would do differently is made them a half diamond longer ( I still have a bunch of yarn left). And elongated the stitching all the way up and not just on the feet. Which I did because i realized the scrunched look on the first one, but I didn't want to frog it back up so Instead I made the other to match. Now I like the scrunching, but other people may not like it so much. I've also made a few dishclothes for my kitchen, I'm debating colouring the white parts yellow, but I'm not really sure. I want one day to have my kitchen in a burgundy and buttercup yellow colouration. It's not going to happen any time soon, and dishclothes don't have a long lifespan here, so I may just live with the peppermint as they are. I even made one round Like a real peppermint candy, Cuz that's how I roll.
Girly and I are going to the lake tomorrow fo a bit of relaxation. Frankly I need it. PG has been home for the past 2 weeks with his back. The cortisteriod injection has NOT helped, The physical therapy HAS NOT helped, really just made it worse. He's trying to avoid THE TALK about retirement. Not that I blame him, I mean who wants to retire at 23 years old? But as a person who loves him and sees him trying to kill himself getting up to go to work then colapsing pale on the couch after two hrs of working through the pain. I think It's time. I hate it for him, but i also want to (selfishly I admit) have a few years with him before it gets really bad. I allways hope of course that technology will grow and find a way to help bring the pain level down or out completely. So does every person with or close to a person with illness. I know the doctors are going hard at finding cures, Most of them know more about my family than even My Real family does. We're there so much, I've seen the nurses swell with pregnancy, have they're babies, and now those babies are walking. they're like an extended family to me now. I think I should knit them something, come to think of it...

Knitta Time

So I've been really busy on knitting when I am not giving kitten massage/ supervision. I have two make up bags one knit and one crochet.

I am still on my two socks, since one of them somehow turned mobius on me,and thus had to be frogged back. and the other I am painstakingly writing the pattern with fixes to the parts I don't really like

I'm sitting here writing one-handed b/c Einstein is in my lap for a foot massage. Note the baldness of the leg: his range of motion is getting better every day, just in small doses. he's So energetic its hard to get him stillfor A massage. Yesterday I was surfing the news with my toes, loving him so he'd stay still for his PT. I tell ya, if PG hadn't had a background in medical I would have gone berserk calling the vet every day about his leg. He's eating my elbow now, I just realized I've been rubbing the wrong durn leg. Which I should know better, his bad one is the same as Physics Guy's. I like to call them Gimpy one and Gimpy two. I wonder if he still has his external tens unit around here... that could be helpful. basically it stimulates the nerves and makes them feel better.I forget the particulars when I've only got a few hrs spread out of sleep all night.
Here I am talking kitty when I'm supposed to be talking knitty. I am investigating on how to do A knitted steering wheel cover for my car. The wheel itsself is so old it's turning sticky.Ok it's attached to a '93 caprice so... I can't find a store bought one that I like enough to buy. I think wool or cotton would be practical since it will be in a hot car and thus subject to melting if made with acrylic. I also haveAnother tempting top to make for my SIL. And Lace things I'm fantasising about as well.
I'm also loving how well my nails look in these pictures. Any one who knows me KNOWS they don't look this nice IRL. I always have some sort of dirt/ chipping funk about them. but shh don't tell.

Knit night

Taro's is not going to be open for our usual knit night, as the owner is going out of town. Any ideas on another location (if we still want to have it) are welcome. so far we have: The sweetest thing, or we could just go out to somewhere and eat or, we could do an early one@ four clock, whatever. I would say at my house, but I've had weird heart problems today and have been to freaked and don't want to speed clean when It's acting funny and rupture something. I am not having pains just like a heavy beat where it takes my breath every few beats. I'm at 120/60 sec. which is not BAd , actually more in the normal range, but Higher than my average which is low. I took some asprin and A nap, but I'm still a bit jitery. I think it's because I'd been going and going all morning until about 3 and then a nice lull where I could sit around confused it a little. but then I also am not a DR. the only other different thing I did today was : dye my hair. I WAS SUPPOSED TO have dyed it back my natural color, but as I found out later from another parent/hair dresser/ MAN. I was only supposed to leave BROWN on for 10 minutes not the 25 I usually go for with the red. so now I am uber goth. Which it's kinda growing on me after the surprise of the darkness wore off. I def. feel the purple highights I'm thinking about could only complement this look, though the flash does pick up the red highlights alot

new socks

So I finished a top secret project( or not so top secret if you know me IRL) A WISP wrap from knitty in mohair for Girly's teacher. AND I got my sock yarn in on wednesday. I've got one sock done for my seaside socks ( don't know if this is another pattern's name too) that I fashioned up, I will add pictures to this in the morning of it since the lighting around here sucks at nighttime. As most knitters and certain chips I cannot have just One, so I am also working on a sock(pair) using an english quilt cabling as my secondary project with the blue Plymouth DK sock yarn.
I have to say I don't know which pattern I like more. I am loving the way the slip stitch cableing is giving two different colourways to the Quilt sock, AND I love the light rib the lobster cabling gives the seaside sock. I'm not sure quite how I feel about the colour pattern in the yarn on that one though, I think It would have been better suited for a diagonal rib patern or some such because the colour patterns sort of blob( forgive me unknowledge of the 'technical' term) in a spiraling fashion around the sock in a green-blue and green-yellow like those spiral string cheeses you buy at the store(MOMS will know what I mean)

In any case I am being terribly naughty because I am SUPPOSED to be working on a ribbon scarf for the para-pro at school so she doesn't feel slighted that I made the teacher something and not her too. I am restraining myself from also making something for the other coaches-helpers etc too because, well that's a frightful lot of people for one weeks worth of knitting time before the school term ends.
I am considering what to start next already because I would like to start a booth at the local market for fun just to see what all I can sell in the south where it comes to knitting. I'm thinking bags and simple scarves and maybe some baby things to start , and sell around july(the next one).I'm not looking for a business or anything jsut a fun time and maybe a few dollars in my pocket on my own terms to do yarny things with as I please. They have the market one a month to start and they may do it more often once they get it going and If it turns out well. Here's hoping it does as I am in desperate need of some local growers/talent/goodies to entertain myself with:P
AS AN added bonus I am SUPER exited to have met OL A pattern designer for litle things like socks and scarves etc. Who said she would let me do some pattern testing for her. YEA! I obviously can't blog/picture those one I get into it, but hey it'll be great fun and I love new ideas and puzzles. Plus when I see it on ravelry I can smile and think to my self "hey I tested that, I hope (s)he likes it!" I'm weird like that.

New layout, New post

So I changed my template. I FINally agonizingly got the colours Just so, and then I noticed My damn side bar is at the bottom. What the hell kinda SIDE bar is at the BOTTOM!?! I hate that, but I also do not want to go throughthe painstaking process of colou/font/size and other bs again tonight. crap I'm gunna haveto do it in the morning. It's almost 11pm. If any of my readers have a good place to find templates pretty please send it my way. I Needs one to match my pretty yarn header pic. I am in a pink and black mood. Also I totally busted up my hand hoeing the pepper beds today. Grass is the closest to evil there is. I swear I was hoeing concrete. If I'd had a bit of forethought I would have knitted myself some garden gloves. It's not like I don't have umpteen zillion yards of cotton on a cone in the yarn room. i've just been super busy with ACtual gardening and making stuff for other people that I havn't taken the time to figure out how to make those durn fingers on gloves to start I can totally make a bunch of in the round fingercovers (they look much like knitted condoms) I just don't get the hand to finger changeover thingy. Now It looks like I have hemmeroids on my hand. Only they don't hurt near as much under the calouses.( hands not bum) Gosh bum callouses, ouch that just sounds painfull... Come to think of it, I think I'll start calling irritating people THAT instead of my not-so-nice words I typically use for them.

Pictures of stuff

Here are the aforementioned pictures of my top, with the scalloped/shell add ons. It's still a tad too stretchy but I guess that's what happens.
And for your viewing pleasure: a subtle kitten chomp on a leg. He's so cute, but Vicious!

A Bit of a more friendly Look here:

I know my Garden looks a bit ghetto with the bricks and torn garden paper, but I'm still working on It aesthetically. Frankly I just don't want the stuff to DIE. Making it pretty doesn't do much good until you're sure that you don't just have a giant sandbox. Making it pretty is my task for the day.(then it'll probably die on me) I'm going to show pictures of it once I get it decent, for now here's a picture of my Avocado tree and his little minty friends in their shared pot. Yea he's gunna need a new one soon!

Tempting

I finally finished my "Tempting" top(knitty.com) at Sally's house. I still had a few finishing touches I added in pick up line today. I did not do the sleeving, In stead I increased by the 52 sts on each side and carried on with the yoke. I bound off the 12 sts underarm and SC around the bottom of the arm/yoke for added stability since I put it on Once and it mega streched. I also instead of the ribboned bow, crocheted a nice shell st border(in the lime green) on the top's neckline and folded two shells over each arm's first two rows so it has a squared look. I really like the diverseness this pattern can have. really it's so teribly simple I could do a bunch of them and come up with all sorts of add ons and things. I thought about one with puffed sleeves and one cabled instead of ribbed,and an embossed diamondy one. We've been talking alot of knitting today so it's all stuck in there clinging together. I also planted some peppers,cilantro and ginger Sally was kind enough to give me after my own pepper seeds failed to germinate and I think...maybe. that I see a few caladium babies under the pear tree, along with some pansies Girly threw out there to"keep them company". The onions are growing, the tomatoes still aren't dead , but I think I am about to kill a horrible pair of socks I am knitting from scratch. these suckers are irritating, I'm striping them with two colours and then they have a completeely differnt colour on the bottom. I . hate. these. socks. but they're for girly and they are cute, once I figure out this laptop thingy I will post pictures of the socks, and the top. Did I mention I also have another sock on .. oh wait TWO other socks on needles other than the pair I already have? yeah. and one pair has to be dyed after I finish the mate. but I like THOSE socks. I am making an effort on them. I just wanted to do this top first, and save the easy small knitting for toasty outside days. Anyhow, off to watch more mindless killing, because the graphics on this game are SOO kick ass( I can see the Rain bouncing off the puddles, and pants creases people!). Plus the plot is getting really interesting too.

Skinny Bitch

Just who, I would like to know, has a 20 inch waist?! Maybe it was the yarn, maybe it wasn't, seeing as they used a cotton yarn themselves. My Gosh, I had to frog the whole bikini bottom. The. Whole. Thing. I got to the part where the leg attaches to the OTHER leg, and thought' I should hold this up to me and see how well it will fit.' Even with the add on of the drawstring waist, it MAY fit Girly. I was a bit worried when I saw the teen sporting it in the pattern, but I'm not a really big person myself. But even with my daily jog there's no way my 34 inch butt is going to fit in this thing. And there is no way I am dieting to get into it. I like my "lady lumps" I work hard to keep my butt in a nice moderate size. 20 inches went out the window about the time Girly came out that window down below. Not to mention the fact that everytime I have been on a dieted regemine before I lost ALOT of boobage, and I DONT have much to spare. Now I have to make a whole new one from scratch. I think I'll do it in the round to make it a bit easier. Crud

UFO's

For some reason I cannot seem to get finished with my bikini bottom. Mainly because I cannot wrap my mind around how the pattern is supposed to make this tiny scrap fit over my rather round ass. Am about halfway through it, and that is: to the part where I am supposed to connect(i think) the legs/bum together and round them I want to add a few rows to be sure it fits. Then again I don't want it to be too large and make my ass look bigger and lumpier. Also the poncho I am making to go over said bikini is giving me trouble. Since I am making it from scratch I kinda forgot where I was going with it and fubar'd the half I already made, BUT I can't just unseam it because once i figured out that was all I'd have to do I also realized it is too short. It would be OK for a regular poncho @ 60 sts on 8mm, but I want it knee length so I can just wear IT over the suit and be appropriate if I see a Starbucks near-by. I just cannot do the teen girl walking in in flops and a teensy biki thing I see around here during the summer months. I mean REALLY who goes grocery shopping in a bikini top and daisy dukes?! IMO that's kinda skanktified. 'specially when one has a kiddo with them. I digress

I re-started the poncho on 9mm with (x4)80 st x 80R squares which hopefully will be enough. By gauge it should anyway. and then I'm BO about 10 sts at the top left (x2) and right(x2). Once I run out of skein yarn I'll frogg the failed one. because I really don;t want to deal with ripping and winding while amidst the projects and house stuff if at all possible.
I also got some more potting mix for topsoil to bribe some lettuce and tomato seeds with. I potted the tomato seeds, and the romaine I just put in the garden along the border of the collards I have already planted for the Guinea pigs. No one(human) in my house likes collards but me , and I only like them in my salad. We do however like lettuce. The caladium are sprouting root buds, so I haven't killed them yet. Basil, Oh my gosh, the basil on my porch. I have PLENTY of basil And something else in another pot, but I can't remember if it's the lavendar or chamomile, as I planted them both in it. I did the lavendar in early march, but when It didn't sprout I added some cham, because it ALLWAYS grows good for me. I usually can get at the minimum enough for a few pots of tea before the summer dries it all up.
other than that, the only news is Me trying to talk PG and Girly out of keeping a kitten. They want the cali, I want them ALL gone. Frankly I've had cats all my life, I am pretty much catted out. The thrill of the litter box has gone, along with the hope of ever taking a shower without the cat also wanting to take a stinky Poo at the same time. Oh and the small fact that I am allergic... But yes I suck it up, and take antihistamines...And hack...and do eye drops. PG on the other hand seems to (while I appreciate his thinking I am super mom)believe I can muster the energy to keep up with him, Girly, AND umpteen pets. Because we all know I will inevitably be the keeper of the litter and designated vet driver. No freakin way.

Tales of Yarn

It's been a week of yarny goodness. My birthday on monday with my friends and cake and a kick butt stash bag from Sally. Then making booties for another friend's baby on Tuesday, Wednesday Girly and I went to a great antiques(and not so antique) shop and I got some tapestry yarn to make a rug with for girly's room, it's great for felting because it's 100% virgin wool. Then thursday Sal Girly and I went to the island to scope an LYS when was wonderfull. First we fortunatly lucked up and went the wrong direction and stumbled onto thier NEW location which was NOT on the map I googled. they weren't open yet so we had a blast at the ACE garden centre looking at the flowers and getting some agnes bushes for Sally's yard and I got some low lying plants to go around the bottom of my pear tree. Where the soil is like heaven. probably the only spot in my yard I can say that about. We also got some Ivy and pansies for Girly to plant. Didn't want to leave, but the prospect of a juicy yarn store was too much to pass up.Girly took some pictures of her favorites:
They had CHEERY TREE HILL for pete's sake, and gobs of Noro Today I got my reciept from WEBS and a handy litle tracker from UPS so I can see where my yarn is. I should be getting it Either tomorrow or monday. Monday would be good for me, PG won't be home, and the Kntting posse will be here for monday morning Knit in, since Sally's house will be sleep central and we don't want to disturb anyone. oh yes, there will be much cleaning and raking here over the weekend. I was out back doing the weeding and prep for the caladium bulbs...Those in the Picture BTW are NOT mine, they are off the holland bulbs site. (the brand I got) I can only hope mine turn out that well.
ANd I pissed off some little blackish creature I think It was a salamander, but when large shiny things run at me I kinda glaze over and run screaming. I poked around back there but I coudn't find it again so I ran the weed eater for a bit around the general area to make SURE I scared him off. I don't think he'll be back for a while. Now I am off to check that I am palnting the bulbs correctly, I will take some pictures ...If they don't die.

Yarn addict

I told my husband he was a spammbaiter addict last night....Ironically with a sock in my hands, a cable needle in my mouth, and two bags filled with yarn spilling out around me. Oh yes, I did. " Are you sure you want to talk to ME about addiction?" he incredulously asked doing the little finger swirly around my general area. "maybe not so much" But of course he let me win since it WAS: my birthday:DI don't think I would have won had he seen my purchase today from WEBS.. What, I got $80 ish for my birthday in cheque, Why not spen it on yarn and stuff....Okay MOSTLY yarn, but I did get some circs and a cable needle too. I usually can only dream of WEBS closeouts, today that dream is MINE!!in these and other fabulous colours

I got a cone of laceweight to make some nice summer projects And later paint, and some tweed sock yarn too, Sadly they were out of the really great navy blue, which is a favourite colour of mine, so I got a white flecked one that wil suit my cableing better.
Do you drop the (e) in cableing or not? I never know. English was always my better class so I'll go with the (e) for now. I know by my typing you can't really TELL I'm good with english, But really I am, my hand eye stuff just isn't that great, and I have a tendency to have typing dyslexia I've noticed.
I think though that I will always have my add/random thought screaming to get out problem though. such as above. Back to the yarn, Ah yes. I have come to accept that I will more than likely have at some point over the summer a hot sticky woollen project on my lap. Mainly because I love the feel of wool. I love the light scratchyness, the fluffy, and the just overall feel of the stuff. I don't think I can go a whole summer with out SOMETHING woolen. But I'm trying to save up all my non wool to use for the summer. Bob knows I won't have my socks done by then.

And to end, A nice Quote from Sojourner Truth: If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again!

summer projects

I've been trying to find some light summer projects to do once the heat wave rolls around in about oh.. 2 months from now. I've been saving up my silk for then so I'll have something not so hot on my lap. I'll probably be doing some lace work too then. Which I hate because of the tiny stitches. But the end result is trully worth it. I haven't done any yet, so it will definitly be a learning experince for me. I sould be in bed right now but I slept for about 3 hrs this afternoon and now sleep is impossible. Plus my throat and ears hurt from the pollen. We FInally got our taxes done, so in two weeks I will be less stressed and maybe feeling better. having the money to pay the bills AND get groceries and gas( at $3.20 pg)in my military tank of a car, somehow makes me not as snippy and short. I've noticed that my stress levels and yuckyness somehow magically come together at the same time... how can this be...
I also finally got Girly to watch Princess Bride with me. I've been trying for 5 yrs now. She chased everyone around yelling "Humperdink" for about 30 minutes. Ah yes, finally sucess. Did anyone else notice the cool knit outfit of the miracle man's wife? eccentric yes, but you could definitly make some adjustments to turn it into a wrap... Princess Bride is a sort of rite of passage, much like every boy simply MUST jump off a roof at least once before adulthood( often and usually more than once)Yes it's cheesy, And a bit odd, but it's got something special there. Something movies don't have much of anymore these days. Not to mention the kick ass wardrobe. I never realized just HOW much my dog looked like a ROUS. especially now that he has patchy bald places. But yes I realized the time had come for both she and I to watch PB (for me , agian) when a friend was making references and despite the familiarity niggling at the back of my brain, I could not for the life of me remember WHERE i knew it from. Shameless I know, forgive me. And so For my Dear daughter's sake , and to keep my own life's saftey from the knitting needles of a good friend, We stayed up until 10 pm and had tea and The Princess Bride. I may try and find A nice bit of black cloth to make Physics Guy a mask and cape for fun....He DOES look alot like Wesley.....

It isn't easter ham But...

I've been looking up some new recipies to add to my meal planning. I am a bit uneasy about some of the thai ones, Fish sauce doesn't sound all that yum, It brings on memories of catfish gutting and the goop you pullout. Never the less I bought some to make a sea food stew called Yose nabe in hopes that it doesn't tasste like the fish and sour feet that comes to mind when thinking of fish sauce. If when I open it it smells too terrible I will revert to a nice safe gumbo instead. I have to omit the mushrooms already since PG is horribly allergic and ends up itchy and vomiting like the girl on Exorcist. It's not a pretty sight. I'm also going to try a nice greek dish which looks really yummy. And more to the standard eating habits of my family. Prawns, rice and tomatoes are always big here. throw them together it's gotta go over well.
In knitting news I have most done on my cape, leaving only one side of the front and some possible adjustments to the hood before the bordering.
It's going to be a basic diamond cable. And of course blocking the durn thing so it doesn't curl anymore. I may have to crochet a few places on the underside to STILL keep it from curling because even though I moss stitched the first inch it wants to curl once I get past the moss. I haven't gotten much done on the socks I have on the needles Either. really I've been so tired the past few days I'm surprised anything is done at all.I will be gratefull for this 3 day weekend so I can get some rest. 5:30 am to 11-ish Pm is not a very restfull thing, especially given that from the time I get up to about 2 1/2 hrs after I am rnning around getting people dressed and off to their business and out for a walk with the dog.
Girly is STILL awake because her tooth hurts. I don't know why, the dentist was supposed to have de rooted it and capped it, yet it still freaking hurts two months later. She's driving my mad in there screaming like I ripped off an arm. of course it doens't bother her during the week. Must yell at dentist first thing monday morning....

Fun Fur

So here I am today looking at sock yarn porn.
I'm also doing Guinea Pig laundry, but that is not so much fun to talk about. I saw a custom job this lady did in tiffany blue and chocolate for a Ravelry chick. Positively drool worthy. Blue and brown are my yum colours. I want to get a lot of sock yarn. A LOT. But then again I also want to get a sheep to make my own, so take that for what it's worth. My cape in in slow progress right now, I am at the cruciale point where I could make or break my goal by putting too much yarn into one area and not having enough for the rest. Champ likes the lambs pride so I know there will be the inevitable "extra blend" into the yarn, from his loving it when Mummy is not looking. Sometimes I walk in from a trip or from putting out the trash to find him curled up in the floor with yarn woven between and around his paws. I have yet to catch him in the act of unskeining the yarn, All I know is that somehow he does it. I'm waiting for the day I come home and see he has grown opposable thumbs and is knitting a doggie scarf in the floor. And the way my carpet looks I am heavily debating making my own Cavy/Feline blend of yarn. I could really make a profit. It would feel somewhat like a nice angora/mohair, And would felt beautifully. Trust me, I've seen the hairballs.


WOOHOO!! I took a break to steam , and the mail lady came. I am sooo happy when I have the mail lady and not the man. HE sucks. He comes at 4ish maybe if he feels like it. And he only delivers bills. He really sucks. The mail lady however, always comes promptly at 1 pm, if it's raining, or bad weather 1 30. And SHE always brings the good stuff.I fnally got my package from my MUM in Austrailia. It's for both Girly's and My birthday, we've got St. Patty in between our birthdays. She's sent it twice now. Girly got an adorable poodle purse and some Ozzie kidsmeal toys. ANd Mum , the dear sent me a faux snakeskin purse, a newsboy cap, in black, and a matching black tee with pink lettering. that screams in bold caps :

Thanks Mum:)

in da hood

Im half way through my stash of lambs pride, and I 'm thinking that I definitly DON"T have enough to do the intire Cape in it. I may only do the back in fuschia, and the sides in Black Wool Ease. Since that's what the Diamonds are. And it's considerably less expensive than the 7.50(cheapest) a 150YD skein for the lambs pride if I don't have enough of it. OR go halvsies on the sides in black and fuschia and NOT do the lenght I want. Call it a draw and make a nice acrylic long cape in a different colourway later. I know I want to do another one anyhow in of course blue and purple, or green and brown... but they are my typical "safe" colours. No lie, the majority of my closet is some form of black, brown and/or green. What am I wearing right now? Green socks, black pants, and a green top. In my BROWN chair. I could be a tree. really. I really wouldn't bat an eye if I was wearin brown/black underpants, I just (a) can't remember what I put on this morning. and (b) don't care to look and tell.
Also in the design bag is a caplet/tank for Girly with of course a hood. I haven't cast on yet with it,It isn't even in my Ravelry yet. I have a sock and the cape to do so I really don't want to overload. Yet agian for the 5 th time I think, I have frogged the entrelac sock, I just can't get it right in the round, there is some secret I'm not getting. Probably because I won't break down and order the durn mag, I just play with the thing, get pissed and rip it out. I'm quite sure there are other FREE patters for entrelac in the round, I just haven't google'd them yet. Im too preoccupied with what I've got in my head, on my needles, and scurrying around my house after the dishes and laundry.
I did a bit of yard work today and found four more baby privacy shrubs. I replanted one behind my pear tree, so maybe I can get a bit more privacy...And my nieghbours can too. Give it about 4 years and I can be wild and free in my back yard and no one will know...Except of course You all. I can't decide if I want to re plant the others out of thier pot in a row or give them away. I hate to trim them, the two I have that are fully grown look like they came out of a hippie's armpit right now. I will give it to them, they are Quite resileint. The left one has been struck by lightning at least three times that I know of. My basil and mint are still alive, and I have some weird stuff growing in there with it that looks like asparagus?! I am wondering if it is the avacado plant I forgot about. I don't want to touch it because if I do everything in the pot WILL die. I know, this has happened to me before. I will just ride it out and see when it gets a bit bigger. if it's an Avacado tree I will do a happy dance and get it a boyfriend. If it's asparagus... I will still wonder WTH? I did not plant asparagus. We shall see. I will take thier picture tomorrow and maybe some one will know what it is.