Blogging in bed

As much as he has a tendency to drive me crazy, I must admit that my man is a pretty good guy.

A few months ago he came home with a laptop for me. His mechanic was offering one up and Dave remembered that I wanted one.

Years ago, I bought one real cheap off a friend from a writing class. It was really old school (even for 10 years ago), more or less just a glorified type writer, but I loved the thing. I could curl up in bed, snuggle with the cats and write to my hearts content.

I started writing a novel, but when the lap top died (malignant power cord failure) the book kind of got left by the way side. I'd pick away at it every so often on my desktop computer, but nothing compared to the comfort of lying in bed and writing for a few hours before bedtime. Sometimes I would write into the wee hours of the morning, and get up the next day, go back and read it and go "holy $#@%" I wrote that? There was just something about the mindset I got into as my brain prepared to sleep and my body began to relax.

In addition to never being able to get the same comfort/inspiration level at the computer desk, I had started working for a newspaper. My brain was so battered by the end of the day I didn't
even want to consider writing at home. When I moved over to advertising I wasn't quite so drained, and started toying with the idea of picking it up again.

When he brought home the laptop I was thrilled, and immediately started writing again. Then my back went. I mentioned it would be nice to have the internet on my laptop, so at least when my back was acting up, I could still stay in touch with my various communities. (not to mention its nice to have the internet handy when you need a little background research for your story).

Well, even though we agreed not to buy each other Christmas presents this year, that man of mine showed up on Christmas Eve with a wireless router and a wifi stick for the lap top... and here I am blogging from bed.

So instead of making a New Year's resolution about losing weight and eating more vegetables, I am making a resolution I actually have a chance of keeping. I am resolving to write for at least an hour every day... and with any luck, I may have a novel done by the end of the year.

Happy New Year!

Free at last!

Well Christmas has passed and it was pretty good all around... those who recieved the gifts I knitted seemed to really appreciate them which is always a treat.

I myself was not neglected by the Christmas Faerie - I got a wicked pair of mittens from my mom, as well as a super set of Kitchen Aid pots (which I badly needed - when I moved out I bought the cheapest set of pots I could find and - well - you get what you pay for). I also got some tools (I am a firm believer that every girl needs her own tools) , and a few other kitchen things from Dave's family.

There was lots of food (and I managed not to over eat, and I am actually down five pounds - woohoo!) and family and fun...

...and colouring with the dog!

And that knitting hiatus I was talking about earlier... I think the hiatus went on hiatus.

Today I finally got some much needed rest and managed to finish Dave's second sock (I started it on Christmas Day at his aunt's house)

I used Fibre Trends Hellen's Favourite Sock Pattern with a simple 3-1 rib on the cuff. It has a round toe, which kind of looks funny, so when I do another pair I'll be changing it to the kind of toe my mom does (a grafted toe?).

I believe the yarn was Opal ( I lost the ball band so I can't be sure)... it's a cotton/wool blend but I'm not too fond of it... there's no sproing so my tension isn't all that even, but the colours were cool.

And now that Christmas is over, all my knitting time is my own... Purity here I come!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL.....

... and to all a good night!

Only three more sleeps....

... and I must say I am running out of knitting mojo.

Obviously I haven't blogged in a little while. That's due in part to the fact that my back problem decided to flare up, and literally lay me out for a week. But, a (relatively) quick trip to the emergency room and a syringe full of morphine (weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee) and I'm almost as good as new. I still have to baby it, but I'm happy to say, I went a whole four days without pain killers!

Despite the set back I've still managed to stay on schedule with my Christmas knitting. Last week I completed this:I modified the pattern I used for Dad's sweater, with the intention of making a cardigan for Mom. But once I got it done I realized it totally wasn't her style. It is, however, perfect for Dave's grandma, so it wasn't a total waste of time and still knocked a present off my Christmas list.

I still have one small project left to do before Wednesday, and once it's done I think I may take a little knitting hiatus.... I think I've earned it...

PHEW!

Huzzah!

Dad's sweater is done!

While Saturday was a total crap day for knitting, Sunday turned out to be much better. Dave discovered some new Dracula computer game, so I took my tv (it's on'y 13 inches) and DVD player up to the bedroom, stretched out watched movies and finished the last sleeve. I sewed it all together tonight. The picture is not that great, but my battery was dying so I wasn't able to try laying it out a couple of different ways.

When dad opens it on Christmas, I'll get some shots of him modelling it. Now.. onto the other Christmas projects. (Though I'm sorely tempted to cast on for Purity)

A dissapointing day of knitting

Well today has been a total wash out... while I got a lot of great knitting time (Dave spent most of the day playing guitar)... none of it turned out well.

About a month or so ago, I cast on for a hat for my brother's birthday. It involved colour work and a chart, and since my back has been out of commission, I set it aside because I can't sit up and read the chart.

Unfortunatley, his birthday is next Saturday (and I'm going to see him Monday), so I figured I had better get something together. I scoured Ravelry and found "The Boy Hat" pattern:

which I really, really liked because of the unique decreasing on the crown:
Of course I wasn't paying attention, and I knit it about an inch and a half too short. (It's nice to have a boy head around to try these things out before giving them as gifts)

I didn't have the heart to make another one (I hate re-knitting things), so I picked up the original birthday hat, managed to find a comfortable way to stretch out and still be able to read the chart and voila!

But, in the spirit of a bad knitting day.... it's going to be waaaaay too tight. This is the first thing I've done with intarsia, and where the flames are is all pulled in and bunchy. I managed to stretch it out on my mannequin head, but when I put it on my head, it's still really tight ( so tight it will give me a headache)

Damn!

Apologies

I'm sorry, I've been a bit of a blogslacker lately. For the past month and a half or so, I've been dealing with a herniated disc (not fun) which has ended up putting pressure on my sciatic nerve (even more not fun).

For those of you who've had sciatic nerve problems, you can commiserate.. for those who haven't.. I think it's one of the most horrible pains in the world! Yeah, maybe childbirth is worse, but hell, at least that doesn't last 24-7 for 90 days... yeah, yeah, yeah, there's the whole pain of raisng them after they are born.. but for the most part that's a choice.. I didn't choose to have an angry sciatic nerve... but I'm drifting... my point is, one of the main things that helps my condition is doing anything but sitting. Seems easy enough, except when you have a job that consists of five hours sitting in front of a computer everyday (I think this is the only time this year I've been thankful I don't work full time). My chiropracter said no sitting for more than 10 minutes at a time... ha! So, anyway, it's resulted in a lot less time spent on the computer at home.

I have been knitting away when not doped up on pain killers, and making some good progress on Christmas knitting (though I think there are a couple of projects that aren't going to get done and I'll have to suck it up and go shopping)

The front and back of Dad's Christmas sweater is done, and I've started on the first sleeve. After I'm done here, I'm going to pop Elf in the DVD player and see how much I can get done before the Tylenol 3s really kick in and I pass out.

The sweater I'm knitting is a nice easy one, It's done on 6mm needles with Patons Shetland Chunky. This is a popular sweater in my family.

(This is an old pic.. I'm too lazy to go get my camera for a new one - the colour also isn't a good representation.. the green isn't quite that grey or dark, it's more of a light sage)

It's a simple raglan sweater. My mom picked up the pattern up years ago (I think at Lens Mills?) and ended up making two for my brother when we were in highschool (mid 90s). Everybody wanted one. She ended up making one for Dave a few years ago for Christmas. He wears it everywhere in the winter. He loves it because he doesn't need to wear a coat with it. I would still wear a coat with it, but he's one of those freaks who doesn't feel the cold (but whines like a woman in the summer). I am thinking of making one for myself, but ... gaaa... too many projects not enough time!

I decided it would be the perfect sweater for my dad because

a) it knits up quick -that being said you actually have to work on it for that to happen... it doesn't just magically grow sitting in the knitting basket (unlike the leftovers in my fridge) I started this in August.

b) it's simple, no complicated cables, or colourwork (not that I do colourwork). My dad is one of those lumberjack kind of dads - nothing fancy - though he's not as picky as Dave.

c) it's washable

d) it's pretty damn durable. My father hunts, works on cars, builds things etc, and is pretty hard on clothes. Of course now that he quit smoking it may last a little longer (he burned holes in a couple mom made years ago). He is also known for wearing clothes until they can't be worn any more. He had a blue sweater with little red pine trees on it (mom made of course) and he wore it until it was literally strings.

Of course, mom is going to be in a bit of trouble when he opens it up on Christmas morning. She's been promising to make him a sweater for... how many years mom....? She has the wool and the pattern, just no time (blame Julie!)

Okay that's all from me for now.... back to the couch to stretch out