Send Help!!!

I've fallen into a pit.....

I have not knit a stitch since Wednesday of last week.  Oh.....I am so missing it, but  I HAVE to get this done!  With so much more left to do:

My own fault, procrastination never pays!  BG's enthusiasm helps during the week, but his willingness to "help" does not!

I knew I was in bad shape when my husband mentioned the possibility of a 2 day road trip, and my first thought was "Great!!! I can knit!".  (This is NOT a project for the road).  So....hope that trip happens, and soon!.  Also, I was watching a video podcast this morning (while working on the advent calender) and the gal showed a knitted baby bid, out of cotton.  I thought "WOW....I want to knit that!".  Yes...I am convinced that I am in knitting withdrawal, and in need of immediate help! 

But, while knitting and spinning are nonexisitant right now, stash enhancement remains.  If you will remember, I am on a red yarn kick, and these three braids will add wonderment to my collection. 

These are colorways "Covered Wagon", "Farmer Phil" and "Ranchero" all on VBFL fiber.  "Ranchero is a 6oz braid, the other two are 4oz each.  These are from FatCatKnits, probably my favorite dyer.  I like that most of her colorways are repeatable, and all are available on all of her fiber bases.  She has both 4oz and 6oz braids available.  Oh - and also, on her website, the different colors are shown on the different bases, which is very helpful as different fibers take colors differently.  Anyway, no....no connection to Ginny in any way, just a very happy and satisfied addict customer.  :)

This one is the Fall 2011 Club selection.  I am actually not a member, but occasionally she has extra skeins that eventually make it into her shop.  This is on BFL.  Lovely stuff, and will probably become colorwork "something" eventually.  5oz total. 

While I obviously am a procrastinator at times, happily it is not my normal nature.  Christmas gift buying is well unnderway at my house.  BG and I made a trip to TOYSRUS the other day.....(Santa needed some help, and BG was happy to accomodate.)  I know he always loves books, and Caillou is his favorite TV show (here at my house anyway.  He watches it daily while I fix his lunch). 

Yesterday, I stumbled across the Caillou books at B&N, each selling for $3.99, which is a bargain for a nice little book these days.  Then the clerk mentioned this box of the same books - for ......see that price!  Yep, a little less than $11, for 6 books!  Santa smiled all the way home!

Our kitchen will be measured for the new flooring tomorrow.  I still have not made final decisions, but we wanted to lock in a sale price, so the paper work has begun.  I think perhaps a deadline will help me decide!  I even have to decide on grout color! 

And.....

A couple of things I forgot to mention.....

A pretty cute book.  I'm enjoying this immensely.  I fell for the cover dog.  Who could resist?

Also, I should have linked the glove pattern that I am using.  It's Classy Cabled Gloves, a pay pattern on Ravelry.  The hat I made for mom was the Brambles Beret, a freebie on Rav.  I added another pattern repeat for a slouchy outcome per the suggestion of the designer.  She stressed that it was a good idea, especially with an Acrylic blend yarn, which is what Berroco Vintage is.  The cables do not match between the two, but I don't think mom will care.

Thanks to those of you who have left flower tips and suggestions.  Also comments on the flooring dilemma are appreciated.  Mike, (the flooring store manager) and I are getting to be close friends.  lol

Blink....and 2 weeks fly!

Times flies....seems the older I get the faster it travels.  Hmmm- perhaps not a good situation!  So, to get you caught up on what's been going on...... 

First off, the Hubbs had his shoulder surgery, and everything is going according to the plan.  Rehab will start soon, I am sure.  He has a road yet to travel, but hopefully he'll not encounter too many bumps along the way.

Fall has finally come to stay here in Iowa.  It's fresh and crisp and lovely!  My favorite time of the year.  It comes, of course, with it's special chores.....not the least of which is late fall garden work. 

 

This year we had an extra good helper!  Digging up those potatoes is a childhood memory of mine.  I helped my dad when I was about his age.  I still get a little burst of excitement when the shovel of dirt is overturned and you see....just how many 'taters are hiding under the surface!  And of course, makes for good eating.  BG likes baked potatoes.  And, "Grammy" (as I am now called) appreciates a quick last minute (microwave) food that he will usually eat.....as he gets pickier and pickier about what he eats.  Sigh....we knew it wouldn't last.

I brought in my Christmas Cactus after the first light frost.  It's loaded with small buds, and I am sooooo hoping that they will mature and make lovely blooms.  Several years ago, I discovered that if I left the plant out in the yard till right after the first light frost, it would set on buds and be gorgeous in a few weeks.  Prior to that discovery, my plants rarely bloomed.  Those smarter that me will probably know the reason why this works.....I'm just happy to have accidently discovered it!  The blossoms are usually long gone my Christmas, but early is better than no blooms at all.

And, while most of my outdoor plants are gone now, this begonia has decided to show one last burst of beauty!  It's actually prettier now than it was this summer.  It has survived a couple of light frosts - and just keeps on showing off.

You can see in the background, this pretty tree.  Of course, under all those gorgeous red branches are piles of equally pretty leaves waiting to be raked!

I have been spinning up a storm the last couple of weeks.  I discovered that I had quite a nice collection of reds and browns in the fiber stash.  So, I have been spinning them up into worsted weight yarns.  No real plan at this point, just spinning for the sheer pleasure of it.  Three of these have been in my stash for over a year (or two?).  I say no more.....

 And on the knitting front.... I knit a hat for my mom out of a skein of left over Berroco Vintage in dark heather brown.  I failed to photograph it, however, so my apologies.  She liked it and I offered to knit her a pair of matching gloves. 

 Here is the first glove, finished except I left yarns hanging on the fingertips so that if I need to adjust the length, I can.  I really like the pattern, and plan to make several as gifts for the Holidays.  These mom will receive as soon as they are done, but she just might be receiving a dark green set for Christmas. 

 So, I leave you with my latest dilemma. The new kitchen appliances are in, the new countertops are in, the new windows are in, the new window coverings are up, and now.....the kitchen flooring is the next decision I must make.  The Hubbs is pretty much "whatever you want".  Hmmm...if only I knew. 

 The process was started this weekend.  Again - new options and new materials available that I knew nothing about!  Six samples came home with us.  I think each of these have been on the "that's the one" list.....till the next one took it's place.  Oh dear!  I am so glad we are not building a new house from scratch again.  I'm sure we'd never live long enough to see it to completion.  Each decision is taking such a long time.  On the good side though - we are overwhelmingly pleased with each of the decisions we have made, so, perhaps it pays to take your time....and time....and lots of time! 

 

Fall.....

While the warm temperatures of summer seem to be hanging around longer than normal, some things do indicate that fall is here.....

One good little doggie got a new sweater.....(and models it quite nicely, I might add).

And.......

Well, you get the idea.....

There and back again....

Since last I posted, we have been:

Here and back again.  "Here" is a cabin at Blue Bell Lodge in South Dakota - smack dab in the middle of Custer State Park.  Yep, that's where you could find us this same week last year too.  Good things deserve to be repeated sometimes. All the "good" photos are in the hubb's camera, so I'll get more posted soon.  Just thought I'd let you know why I've been MIA for the last couple of weeks.

We are home now, and back to real life.  I managed to get lots of knitting done while riding in the car, and setting on that front porch up there.  Ahhh......  total relaxation.  Some of these projects may have been viewed on Ravelry, so sorry for the redundancy if that is the case.
 
Fist up is the pair of mittens inspired by the photo I took of Bergen, Norway.  When I saw the pattern, it reminded me so of the photo I had taken from our room balcony.....I knew I would eventually knit a pair for myself.

 This will be the back or public side of the mittens.  I really like this building design!

 

I chose to make this the palm side of the mittens.

The pattern was basically just a chart, so I chose to do a hem bottom with the braid detail.  I really like that touch on the bottom of mittens.

Next up is a simple shawl - great car knitting on large needles. 

This is the pattern "Faraway, so Close".  The yarn is handspun, 2 4oz braids spun into a 2-ply worsted weight yarn.  It was really fun and quick.  I made the larger size, and I really like how it comes way down on my arms.  I may well make another of these.  Perhaps for my mom. 

Next is a pair of plain jane socks knit out of Knitpicks Stroll Tonal in the "Parchement" colorway.  They were originally going to be for me, but they may be gifted at Christmas.  I think they came out very nice, and the intended recipient is very much into similar colors as I like.  I think they will be well received.  Yikes.....there's that "C" word again!! 

Lastly, and currently, I am working on a new sweater for one little doggie!

She was not thrilled with her fitting session, as I had to wake her from a deep sleep.  But she went back to snoozing immediately, so worry not!  She wore the makeshift long sleeved sweater (from the previous post) while we were on vacation.......she deserves a nice new pretty one - in colors more complimentary to her coloring.  This will be long sleeved and long bodied. 

So - that's got things caught back up.  BG's preschool class is walking to the local fire station this Friday.  It's a couple of blocks, and crossing a busy street, so guess who's going along as a volunteer???  LOL - yep, you betcha!  They asked for enough adults to go so that they had one adult for every 2 preschoolers - one on each hand.  I'm for that system!  Call me overprotective.......

More on the vacation later.  It was kind of a strange blend of bliss and adrenaline runs.  We had phantom idiot lights going off on our dash, a flat tire, and then there was a little "run in" with a big buck deer.  Sigh..... but all's well that ends well, and it did. 

DH has surgery scheduled for next week.  Shoulder surgery.  He received his cardiac clearance, so I guess it's a "go".  We expect things to go well. 

Keep on aknittin......  later - k