Merry Christmas! In July!!

So, this is the latest of my sock knitting adventures...  

One of my friends was in the hospital for a bit... NOT Covid-19, thankfully, but not good, still.  I decided to do something a bit silly, and I made a pair of socks, and put them in a Christmas card.  

As you can see, they are a bit on the tiny side (quarter for comparison).

I am thinking about making several of these some day, and make a knitted sock Christmas crafting tree.  When, I don't know, I have enough projects to keep me quite busy for a while...

But sometime.  I just hope he gets a chuckle out of it...

One down, Two to go...

Finished the first couch cover.  It was mindless knitting, for the most part.  I did a linen stitch, so it wouldn't roll on the edges, and so I wouldn't fall into a boredom coma knitting stocking stitch...

Husband likes it.  That's the important part, I am making them for him.  Color wise, anyway.  We both want covers because we both put our feet up, and we aren't always dressed to the Nines when we do so.  Covers wash much more easily than cushions!

So, after a little break for a small project or two for me, I will start on the next two...

Lots of blue. LOTS and LOTS of blue...

Love in a tea mug.

I have been knitting couch covers that I promised Husband.  Our couches are blue, and he wanted blue covers. 

He likes blue.  Blue is fine, but I am going to take a break between covers.  I'm doing light blue. Dark blue. Windsor blue. Robin's egg blue Sky blue. Navy blue. Blue, blue, blue... And for a true thrill, variegated blue!

You get the idea.  I am taking short breaks with other projects, (sock blog coming, hopefully with pics), but I keep on this because I know he'd really like the set to match. And I'd like it done sooner than later.

I have noticed though, when I am knitting, he'll check if I have a cup of tea.  If not, he nearly unfailingly asks if I would like some.  Now, tea isn't a huge deal, I suppose...  But he knows I am a heavy tea drinker, and I tend to focus when I am knitting this project, especially the navy blue! 

But he has figured out I enjoy the tea when I get up, too.  He asks if I would like some while my brain is working towards "awake". (He generally gets up a good two hours before I do.  I really don't want to get up at 4...)

Again, he doesn't HAVE to do it, I am functional enough to get tea made.

But he loves me.  And wants me to enjoy my tea.

And you know something?  I think the tea tastes a bit better when he's made it. Maybe it's just because I know he cares.

It's nice, either way...

Gnome, gnome on the range...

(Yes, I like puns... Ahem.)

I received some yarn from a friend, and have been trying to decide what to do with it.  I like the colors, but I didn't really have a project "in mind" for the stuff.  She was a friend of mine, and loved the Renaissance faire.  We would do goofy stuff there, and she had given me this yarn while at faire.

So, I have had it sitting in my craft room, just sitting, with me looking at it.  Not exactly screamingly exciting...

I happened to be on one of the knitting forums, the internet was sort of working, and up popped this gnome picture.  Then more, and more pictures.  I was intrigued.  They were cute, didn't look too hard to make... I would probably knit them, I gathered enough from the photo to make up one of my own...

I haven't decided when I will make some, but I found out, that several vendors, and others, hide things for children to find when they are at faire.  Considering that kids are all OVER the woods at the faireground, it makes them have a little more surprise. 

And that's when I came up with it.  I want to make a few gnomes for me, but...

I am going to make a few of them with a little tag, it will say something like, "Hi, I am a gnome looking for a home, would you take me in, and give me a name?"  And then hide them at faire, and see if any end up with new homes.


I think she would have gotten a kick out of it...

Mardi Gras is on! Er. Sorta...

I had some lovely purple variegated yarn that I really wanted to do something a bit "flashy" with...  Not just my normal "plain vanilla" socks, I wanted them to be, well, different. 

I kept working on an idea, and the dial tone continued...  Then I was reading about, of all things, problems of New Orleans with the beads clogging the sewer.  Why this clicked, I don't know.  But I have had some friends give me beads, while not Mardi Gras, per se, they were the same color palette, and so my little creative grey cell was buzzing with, yeah, have those, have purple sock yarn... Now what?

So I started thinking, I will make the cuff, that I normally turn down, in feather and fan, and then put an accent of the same down the foot... But what about the beads?

Well, as they were necklaces, I didn't want to cut them, if I didn't have to... Gold, green, purple.  3 per sock...  Then I came up with the idea, how about adding them to the "holes" in the fan?  So, I commence to knit. 

I put the project away more than once trying to figure out how to do what I wanted, so the beads would be draped, more or less evenly around my ankle.  Hmmm.

Then came this year's goal of actually finishing things I have started... So I pulled out this sock and worked on it.  On the cuff, the feather and fan pattern came out evenly with four designs, so, I just needed to divide the number of beads by 4. 

Whereupon, I did something I should NEVER EVER do.  I was very tired, but I wanted to get the design figured out, so I could get a jump on it the next day.  I started counting beads.  And counting.  They didn't divide by 4!  Crapola!  Snarl... 

Husband, bless him, looked at what I was doing, and timidly said, could I make a suggestion?  (I am so less than pleasant when I am tired...  Sigh...)  I looked up bleary eyed, and said, if it will help me with the math, sure... 

He took one of the necklaces, held it up, pinched in two fingers, so that the two sides ran parallel, and said, here's half.  Then he pinched the bottom, folded it up to the top, and said, here's quarters.

I didn't know whether to laugh, or scream...  I did thank him profusely, as I had been working on counting and marking and such, and was nearly to the point of cutting the necklaces, which I didn't want.  (I think I did laugh, eventually...)

So, after a So Obvious I Totally Missed It moment, I was able to start on it the next day with a lot less snarl and brain farts...

I ended up using a feather and fan with 6 "holes", so I put each necklace in two of the holes, in and out, and then the next, and the next, all the way around.  This gave them a bit of drape, and they each had a different spot, so they were all visible.

I had to do a bit of screwy knitting, I don't know if there would have been an easier way to do it, I had to turn my knitting once or twice, so I was knitting on the back, with the beads... It worked, but if I would ever make a pattern for this, I think I might conference with  some one, so I would see if it was another  "I made too much work", or if it was a 'normal' way to solve the problem. 

Let's just say, my knitting teacher would see some of the solutions I came up with, she wouldn't say a word, if it worked.  But more than once, she'd shake her head, and change the subject...

So, I ended up with some jazzed up socks, probably a bit more tinkery than I had intended, but they look nice, and who knows, I might just make some beignets, or po' boys, and wear my socks for Mardi Gras next year. 

Or, I might just laissez les bon temps rouler, because I finished them!!!

Leaping into projects...

On the left side of my blog, I decided (once I found it, eye roll, my brain is still on dial up, I guess...) a list of things I have knit.  I will also put other items, crochet, sewing, woodwork, etc..  I hope to put up photos, too, except for the hats I put on the list, I forgot to photograph them before I donated.  I will have to see if the gal still has them...

Anywho, that list is for this year, so I will see how long, or not, it gets.

Oh, and it's going to be for finished items only.  I have a terrible case of startitis, and I want to finish some stuff, before I make lots more. 

Sure I will.  😉

Leaf the decorating to me!

Well, I guess my blog friends know that I drive a Nissan Leaf.  When they came out, they actually had a leaf in the logo.  Well, they have removed said leaf. Which annoyed me greatly.  You can't get a Leaf in green, and no leaf in the logo? Poo. 

What to do... 

So, I had a leaf charm that was a necklace piece.  That is hanging from my mirror.  But with autumn, I keep picking up leaves, and putting them on the dashboard.  And these cars have a fairly substantial dash board!  So, I have some maples, an oak, an apple leaf, and one that I am still trying to figure out what is.  I also want to put one of my bamboo leaves in, but haven't done so yet. 

But, while they are nice, they don't last a long time.  They are more or less built to disintegrate, and as I use the vents, they dry out, and occasionally get blown on the floor... Leading to leaf bits, as I usually don't notice until they end up being crunched underfoot... Ooops...

And green leaves, just don't seem to do well... They either fade and go away, or in one case, left a gooey bit of a mess.  Just not what I had in mind.

So I remembered I have a pattern for a knitted oak leaf.  I stared looking on line.  There are both knitted and crocheted leaves, and I do both crafts.  I have oodles of color threads, greens, variegated, fall colors, so I could make a whole forest of colors, and types of tree leaves. 

This will have to be a January project, however.  Right now, I am working on at least 3 different projects for Christmas gifts, so I have to get those finished, then I can switch to 'selfish knitting' for a bit. 

Which, of course, gives me more time to find leaf patterns to print out, and get put in a folder to knit/crochet!

And be-leaf me, I think this will be a fun project!!! I will tree-t it with respect!!! 

(Ducking and hiding from PUN ishment...)  😆

Hats, love 'em or hate 'em.

I have quit with medication for my Rosacea.  It has been going okay, after quitting chocolate and soda.  Oddly, I thought I would be having a big problem with quitting chocolate, but it's not too bad, I even made cookies with chocolate chips, and didn't snitch any...  This from a woman that would buy an extra bag so I could sneak a snack... But it's working.

Also, I am wearing sunscreen, and a hat.  I am to the point now, it's just like putting on any other bit of clothing, but I really didn't like wearing hats.  But, I found a hat or two that I don't mind wearing, and look good with pretty much anything, so it works.  Hats seem to be a thing people either enjoy, or do NOT like...

I find babies despise hats.  One of my friends had a little one, (now a much OLDER one), that like me, had way fair skin, which is just begging for a sunburn.  Mom would put a hat on her, and one of two things would happen.  She would go into Harriet Houdini mode, and get out of it, take it off, and toss it, if it was tied, or just skip to taking it off and tossing it, if it wasn't.  Or, if there was that amazing off chance that the hat COULDN'T be removed, she of the light skin would cry and tear at the hat, and generally act miserable, until shade could be found, and hat removed.  I don't know if I was that picky, as a baby, but I really didn't think much of hats.

I have been knitting hats again, some.  I have the Shop with a Cop group, I have not committed to making a set amount of hats.  That way leads to high stress levels.  I have just been, oh, free time, knit a cap, throw it in the collection box.  That way, they get hats, I can do, or not, as I please, and all is good...  And another part of the station has made a call out for winter clothing.  I asked if they needed hats, it sounds like they do, so I will have to see what I can whip up... I am finding that just doing a few things when I am in a mind to, rather than, oh, we need 65 hats in two weeks, tends to make my eyelid twitch a lot less!

I haven't made up any tags but I have also thought about making a few hats for Loved and Found project. You leave hats in random places as a random act of charity.  It seems like a fun idea...

Now if I get to 500 hats, do I get to nickname myself Bartholomew Cubbins?  (Thank you, Dr. Suess!)
 

More knitting stuff, sigh.

I had this great idea to knit up a long vest for a trip Husband and I will be taking in the future.  I printed out the pattern, picked out the yarn, with a bit of help from Mom (thanks!!), and proceeded to work on it. 

First thing, I put on my circular needles, and POP, one side came off.  This was not terribly out of the blue, I had trouble with the needle before, but it still meant I had to find some way NOT to lose stitches, and ask Husband to please fix it, if he could.  He did, (thanks!!). 

So, while he was doing that, I scared up another circular needle, so I could see if I could keep up the momentum.  Which was great.  At first.

Knit, LOTS of stitches.  This does seem like a long, long row.  Huh.  Well, the pattern is going well...One whole section finished.

Knit the  next row... 5 stitches?  There is supposed to be 4.  Uh, oh. 

For anyone who doesn't knit, lace is more or less a big math problem.  When one stitch is off, it can make the whole pattern go wonky.  So, I ripped the row, and started over.  Finally, it's correct.

Reading the blasted pattern, it was about 4 point, 6 point tops print, and so I had to keep picking up the pattern to read it.  But, it looks nice, and I am just... 6 stitches?  WTH??!?!?  Ok, rip, and knit again.  Dang, this thing seems to be large.

I showed it to Mom, and she agreed.  I still thought I had worked it out correctly, but decided to get a "for sure" measurement.  After a bit of awkwardness, Husband told me the measurement...

Oh. Crap.  I mis-measured, and had a full two sizes larger than I needed.  Bah.  Okay, not the end of the world, rip, and start over. 

And so I did.  Looks a bit less daunting.  Knit, knit, yes, this looks good, knit, now to the lace... You know, I am going to type that nonsense up where I can read it from a distance of more than an inch or two.  That's better, now back to knitting.

Okay, all set.  Knit, knit, knit, crap. 5 stitches again.  SIGH.  What is the problem?  I know the pattern is fine, I did the first section with not too much problem.  So, ripped again. Knitted again.  Then I notice that I made one loop, about 2 rows down, way too large.  It didn't come out as a nice lacy opening, it looked more like a tear.  Hmm.  Then I notice I am SIX STITCHES OFF AGAIN...

Ok, that's it.  I was genuinely thinking about what lighters or matches I had in the house.  So, I very carefully ripped it out, completely, put it in a sack, and put it away for a bit. 

If I don't finish it by the time I leave, well... I have other things to wear.  But I was hoping this would be a nice thing for my trip.  But having my eye twitching, and Husband enduring some extremely  unladylike language when I discovered my mistakes, does not make for a good experience for either of us.

So, I am working on a basic hat, and a basic sock. 

Haven't screwed those up yet...

siiiiiigh...

Mrs. Claus and the gifts...

I help with a Shop with a Cop group locally.  There is a married couple that dress up as Santa and Mrs. Claus, and hand out gifts.  In her case, it is really appropriate, as she is the one who collects gifts, and spearheads getting things gathered and put into packages and such.  (Mr. Claus mostly just does deliveries, and has his photo taken, from what I have seen... Hee hee.)

The gifts for the kids include such things as hats, mittens or gloves, a small blanket, toiletries, and I think they sometimes have companies that will put either small gifts or candies, or some such in, too.  Also, I think some sort of stuffy, bear or such...

I have knit hats. Ohhh, so many hats.  I finally decided not to, I went from enjoying it, to having requests for 50 or so hats, 2 weeks before the event.  No.  Just. No...

I have made mittens, too.  Mom and I have bought hats, as well.

I made a "toy box" to hold the items as they are collected through the year. 

Now, though, am I sort of shot on enthusiasm, or something?  I sneak over and peek in the toy box, and see the growing pile of items, and... Huh.  That's nice. 

I don't feel a spark of creativity.  I do think of making a few items, then I think, crap, I have X-ity X number of knitting/craft/garden projects to do now... And I am knitting socks for another charity, on top.

So, hmmm.  I think I might save some pennies back, so to speak, and do an "elf drop" like I did the other year.  I took a bill, put it in an envelope, then dug through the toys, about halfway down, and then did that as my help.

I think I actually wrote something to the effect of "To help Mrs. Claus".  I know they didn't know the donor, because there was a thank you on the desk the next week with "Mrs. Claus thanks the elf who helped with the $."

So, yeah, I think I will do an elf drop again.  At least I don't have to worry about knitting deadlines!!!

Not QUITE 100 Square Afghan finished... Whew!

Finally finished this afghan, for me.  I had no great plan, just wanted to do white to black, which I did more or less. (You can't see the black, there are about 2 more sections of panels behind the section on the far end of the couch.)  If I would make one like this again, it would be a bit smaller, it has about 70 or so squares, and I would have made the solid colors in a knitting pattern that would give them visual interest, instead of large blocks of garter stitch.  It is so warm.  Folded double, I slept under it one night recently, and had NO need for extra blankets.  However, it's also rather HEAVY.  I guess that's why it's warm?  

It's sort of ungainly, probably not the most carefully coordinated color combination, and maybe just a bit tacky, but hey, it fits me, and I like it, so... Meh.  

Oh, and I didn't use the rest of the square because it was so large already, I am planning on making, and probably donating the one I make from those... Maybe... Heh.

Friday. Um. Yes. A post.

Well, I have little to nothing today.

I have been knitting hand warmers, basically a glove without fingertips, so I can wear them and still do most things.  I found that I astound the younger set, they think they are just perfect for iPhone thingies... Meh.  I find my finger joints aren't as uncomfortable.  If they are "wowing" other folks, well, that's just gravy, I guess.

I am finishing up my Not Quite 100 Square Afghan.  I am still crocheting the 'frames' for the squares, then the border after, so I will probably have another week or two on it, less, if I actually DO it... I try for about a line a day, it is such a long blanket, one line takes just about a day to do.

The hens are doing pretty well, I am getting 5-6 eggs a day, with the occasional gust of 8.  I am about ready to trounce one of the hens, she keeps picking on one of the younger ones, which leads to hiding in the nest box.  Which leads to a mess in said nest box.  eeeeeeewww...

I will be going to a few Neighborhood Watch events, the head guy has a whole rash of them coming up, so we shall see what transpires.

I have decided that I really wish I could go deaf and blind when politics comes on the radio and TV.  I don't care what party it is, I am beginning to feel there needs to be a blanket limit on how many times we have to listen to the same thing repeated ad nauseum.  Your mileage may vary...

I will hopefully be making some bricks soon.  Yep, bricks.  I have a brick making kit, where you can put words in said bricks.  Deciding that it would make nice plant i.d. items, I will be making my own non-blow awayable, non-fading, big tags, that will last more than one season.

Or that's the plan, at any rate.

Oh, and the Iditarod starts tomorrow...  MUSH!!!

So, how much longer?

I have been knitting a baby blanket.  It is a large one.
And knitting.
And knitting.
Aaaaand knitting.
Still knitting.

While I enjoy knitting, this thing is something that I find strange.  I knit blankets, and it seems like I start, it's fine for about 15 inches or so.  Not a problem.

Then I measure, usually when I think I must have added another 5 inches to that.

15 and 1/4.

Really??

So, I buckle down and knit. Don't move for what seems like hours.  I half expect my fingers to bleed, and my eyeballs to dry to dust...

Measure...

17 inches.

AIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGH!!!  (ahem)

So, I am about up to 36 inches at this point, the sides were larger than I want, (47 inches).

BUT, the blanket, I have decided, will not be square.  I don't want to knit 11 more inches, in fact, I don't know if I've enough yarn.  I will continue knitting for a bit, then finish, bind off, and deal with the small hole that occured...

3 $@@@ inches from the start!!!!  Which, of course, I didn't catch...

Can baby blankets be malevolent?  (shudder)

K is for...

Knitting.

Actually, for me, it should be, "KNITTING!"  Two sticks and a string.  The amazing loops and knots that make a pattern...

I am rarely without a something.  I normally knit socks.  I am, right now, knitting squares to make a 100 square afghan.  I have knit hats.  Scarves. A shawl or two. Baby blankets. LOTS of baby blankets...  A dust mitt.  A Queen Elizabeth doll. A knitting cat.

I have found that knitting is calming for me.  I knit, I can concentrate.  When I was in school, and before I learned to knit, I doodled constantly.  I think this is probably the same idea, but it's nice to have something I can use when I am finished, where the doodle, most of the time, was just doodling... I did give a few of my pictures out, but rarely.  On the other hand, people really seem to want my knitting.

And I am glad, in this recitation of blessings, the blessing that can keep me from fidgeting and being grumpy, can give others a blessing, too!

(And I am up to square 43 on my afghan, if anyone is interested...) 

The internets work now! Yay! (Now with Pictures!)

Well, in the great scheme of things, I could have written a blog sooner.  But partly, I wanted to make sure the silly modem would actually keep me online when I was working...  It does!  I also have been on the go again, so when I did sit down to do a blog, I stared at the computer, until it bumped me in the nose, as my head slumped forward in slumber... Yeesh.  You'd think that I could get some energy, get wound up, SOMETHING... But at any rate, computer is working, so now I can.

This was a collection of items I sent to a charity group called One Nation Walking Together, through my Ravelry group.  Some I already had knit, some I had been knitting on, so it's an oddball collection of stuff.  But I am hoping it helps people stay warm this winter...

From the Ravelry website, as I forgot to get pics...

And we have established, after a little math, I am 2 pints from my 9th gallon.  It was so funny when I donated, they always play music, and it happened to be Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'", which relaxes me.  The guy took my blood pressure, and said, "Your blood pressure is amazing, most people would be asleep at this point."  Works for me!  Music is good for the soul, turns out it must not be too bad for the body, either!

Thanks to Husband for pic, found out I take crappy

'selfies' of my arm...  

This is over looking Clear Lake, where Husband took me for my birthday.  It was absolutely neat out there, a few ducks diving for breakfast, the occasional wild cyclist hitting the trail near the lake, and a few confused tourists that were trying to figure out how to light the furnaces in the nearby cabins.  (It gets colder out here than you might expect, even in summer!)

This is Fish Lake.  Yes, it is a lake, and yes, there are fish in it.  In the winter.  The lake drains out in spring, and the fish take off for wetter accommodations, leaving this a huge pasture.  Until recently, it was an area to stake out Forest Service horses and mules, but I am not entirely sure they do that now...

I believe last blog had me saying that Great Grandpa had built some buildings pre-1910.  

(Sigh.) 

Wrong on both counts.  He DID build a building... He is my GREAT-Great Grandpa, and the time was 1921.  But anywho, this is the sign that mentions him.  (Under Dispatcher's Cabin.)  So that was cool.

I will put up a few more of the signs in a later blog. 

This is the dispatcher's cabin, I think.  It was closed, so we weren't able to see said signature, but we did look in the windows, (which were the cool wavy glass ones), and they have it set up as close to original as possible.  The wavy windows didn't, however, let me take any good pictures of the inside...

And we have found one of a vanishing breed.  Yes, Virginia, we can have Superman change clothes here.  (And yes, I mixed my metaphors. Hush.)  I think that is the first free standing phone booth I have seen in quite a while.  I really sort of miss them... (Groans the dinosaur...)

 Sahalie Falls, was a stop we made, it was something Husband had heard of, but hadn't been to.  If I'd heard of it, I didn't remember it.  So after a short walk down several steps, this was the view.  It was loud enough that we really had to speak up to hear.  There was a couple other falls, as I remember, but we decided that it was a bit too long of a walk there and back, so this was it...

Unrelated to the aforementioned trip, we went Jeepin' yesterday, and found this.  We hadn't realized there was a dam that had been so close to where we lived.  Past tense, obviously...  Just letting it sort of decay back to what it was, I guess...

Other than our internet is running sllllllllllloooooooooowwwly, it is holding together.  More blogs that way!

H is for hand tools.

Husband and I have different ideas about doing projects.

I use a hammer.  He uses an air gun.  He likes things with motors, where I prefer tools that I control the speed, by how fast I move it.

When I first started spinning, Husband watched for a little bit.  He kept looking curious about it.  I finally asked what he was thinking.  "You could do that so much faster if there was a motor on it..."

Um.

Well, yes, I could.  But I actually enjoy doing the treadling.  Husband later bought an electric spinner, which I do like to use, but strangely, I don't enjoy it as much as the other.  Probably partly because it takes a bit to set up, where I can just sit down and start with my wheel, but it just seems like I am not really spinning.  Hard to explain, but the machine is doing the work, not me.  And I also use a drop spindle, now that I have found a new way to spin without it hurting my shoulder... Which is also extremely portable.

Husband likes to cut grass with a mower.  If it's a huge area, yes, I will agree.  But I like to use a scythe.  This has a great advantage.  I get exercise, it clears the grass quickly, and boy, when people see me walking out to the front, I get the most unique looks.  And I get to watch people go by REALLY fast...

But, I guess my favorite hand tool?  Knitting needles.  What else can I use to make something warm, scratch my back, or get something off a high shelf with one tool?

And the back thing can be very important!

K. Kryptonite. (and Late ORT)

K

Superman, his Kryptonite makes him weak and unable to be in control.  I have no such problems, I am happy to say.

Oh, is that chocolate?  Just one, thanks.

No, I have no problems with something that I can't control, or that weakens my resistance.

How 'bout one more, that was pretty good.

I mean, really, all it takes is some will power and...

Um...

Nom nom nom nom nom...

Now, er, what was I talking about?

Never mind.

(Kryptonite)

************

General stuff and nonsense portion of my blog...

So, I just remembered it's past the new moon, (you'd think I would remember, having it set on my computer, but no...) 

I have knit up 5 baby hats, worked on some socks (haven't finished any, they are catch as catch can, and worked on a baby blanket.) Oh, and the baby blanket is hilariously basic.  Everyone that sees it loves the yarn.  That, I believe, is because they don't have to knit with it!  It splits, tangles, it's not soft when I knit it, as it tends to catch and put my fingers into a Nylon Death Grip.  But, this way I get rid of it quickly, and don't have it to use, and it does wash up nicely, so hopefully some wee one will have a warm tushy because of it.

Rudee had to go to the vet for his rabies and such shots today.  I felt so sorry for him, neither Husband or I are quite confident enough to trim his dewclaws, so we had the vet do it.  This would have been fine, if it had just been the vet, and Husband and I.  Husband puts Rudee into a doggie headlock, and I talk to Rudee, petting him and telling him softly how brave and what a great dog he is.  

Or, at least that's the way it's SUPPOSED to go.  The vet tech decided Rudee looked scared, and "helped", by LOUDLY telling him he was okay, what a GOOD DOG, WHAT A GREAT LOOKING DOOOOOGGGIIEEE, GOOOD BOOOY!!!!  (We rarely, if ever talk to him this way, and she was nearly shouting at him.)  Add to this, she was clutching his face and nearly nose to nose with him, Rudee freaked, and ended up getting a nick on one of his dewclaws.  The vet said something to the tech, she got the stop bleeding stuff, and it was minor.  But I still wanted to whack her alongside the head.  I am so glad we have worked with Rudee around strangers, or I would have been afraid the tech would have been bitten.  Needless to say, poor dog was shivering and had that "What the **** IS this?" look by the time we were finished.

We took him to McDonald's and got him fries. (We've done this since he was a pup, to make sure he doesn't relate car trips to bad things only.)  He was a happy carb loader again, and other than making sure he didn't eat the little paper bag the fries came in, we were all in good spirits when we came home.  And now Rudee's legal again, so we can get his tags.  

And yes, he is a good boy, but even he thought it was going just a bit too far when it was bellowed in an ear...

Forgot to put this up!

Yep, I have actually been knitting.  Some sailor baby, (or marine baby, but sailor is more likely), will be getting this one.  I finished the pink, and it just needed something.  I added the white fringe, and I think it just made it a bit more complete looking.

Right now I am working on a yellow blanket, and a multi-color blanket.  Both pretty simple, so I can just pick up and stitch when ever I get the mood.  I have found the 70's TV show "Emergency!", (Hulu is rather addictive), and I am having fun watching that in the evenings, which means I can put the hands on autopilot... With the exception of yesterday, when I realized I'd dropped a stitch about 3 lines down, and had to tink a bit to fix it.  BUT, it didn't take long, so I was back and knitting again not long after discovery.

The funny thing, I had two short notice things happen.  One, a gal I knit hats for Christmas presents to give to local kids, I had written her a few MONTHS ago. Please let me know soon. I really need some time to knit up some hats.  Do you need hats this year?  What is the hat situation??

Nothing...

So, I wrongly assumed no hats were needed.  About a week ago, I received a short note saying she loved the hats I'd made last year, and any I could send this year would be great.

Oh.  Er.  Well, so far I have... One.  2, if you count the one that is tiny... As small as it is, it might go to the hospital for the babies, because it would probably not fit a child of any size.  Meh, it will go someplace!  But... I will not be knitting any 50 hats the way I did last year!  Mom suggested next year, just assume she will want the hats.  Probably a safe bet.  And if she doesn't, I know several charities that do.

The second one, a friend of mine passed away, and his "thing" at faire was carving an apple.  I wrote a note to the head of faire, I wanted to donate an apple tree to the fairegrounds on his behalf.  I then received a reply, oh, yes, and would you like to help with the memorial?  I said yes.  I am now hoping that "helping" doesn't mean I plan and put it on... Eeeep.

I have also been reading (um, ONE of the things I have been reading, I am up to six books at the moment), Eat, Pray, Love.  I am truly enjoying this book. (Which is probably why it's being drug about the house, while the others are moldering away, locked in one spot...)

The rain has finally shown up here.  Just out of curiosity,  I checked one crack we had in the soil outside, I stuck a yardstick down into it.  It stopped about 16 inches.  I think the only reason it didn't go down past that was because the crack curved some...  Most of those have been sealing up since, so hopefully our place won't look like an earthquake hit now.  The bittersweet part, though, is that it has been cold enough that the garden is pretty well gone.  I did get lots and lots of tomatoes, some beans, a few crookneck, turnips, kohlrabi, and some peppers.  It wasn't the best year, but it wasn't bad.  The corn stunk, didn't get ONE EAR... Not even a scrubby one.  I just don't seem to have a knack for growing corn.  Oh, well, that's what farmer's markets are for, I guess...

I have been walking, and now, I have been waiting for the school bus to go by.  It goes by like an Indy Car going for pole position, and I really don't want to have wind and rain take my hat off.  I haven't seen the farm hand's dog since I changed to a heavier jacket, I don't know if he doesn't 'recognize' me, or if he is just being held in check somewhere, but it's nice not having a 21(hundred) bark salute every time I go by...

So, that and some running around, the usual house and such, and I am (yes, one of those) started on Christmas shopping.  Not much, but I have a few things in the Christmas Cupboard!

So, while it's not the most exciting blog this round, I have been doing something.  I will have a photo of an experiment I did this month.  I let my nails grow.  If I make it to Halloween, I will be surprised.  It has made for a STRANGE time of handling things, let me tell you!

Ravelry competition.

I will be 'competing' in the Ravellenic Games.  (It used to have another name, but a major sports event to be held threw a fit, and so it's called that.)  The cast on will be when the flame is lit, and is to be finished when the flame goes out, basically I have the length of the game to finish a project.  I am going to knit a scarf.  The ends of the scarf will have Tardis patterns on them.  It is based on a lovely shawl, but I don't need a shawl, nor does my friend, who I am making this for.

If any of you are knitters on Ravelry , I am "Knitcat", (I know, big surprise...)  I will be knitting for Team Sherlocked.

For those of you that don't knit, yes I am a geek, why do you ask?

Oh, and thank all of you for the birthday wishes, and I will be about to your blogs soon!  I seem to be having not much in the way of time to say much when I am online of late.  That will be rectified!

K. Knitting for Charity.

While I have been knitting for myself, I noticed that a LOT of my 'take along' projects are my charity knitting.

The green and white scarves are for the elderly, the baby hats are for the local hospital, and the pink blanket is for the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society. Except for the baby blanket, I can usually fit the projects in a largish purse. 

When I have to sit for a while, it gives me something to do...  Can you tell I sit a lot?