The closer I get....

I don't know about you, but the closer I get to finishing a project, the more I want to work on something, anything other than the almost-finished project. I'm not sure why... I'm just not one of those people who see the finish line and get a burst of energy. I see the finish line and think "Crap.... I still have to go that much further, I want to be done NOW"

I did end up with a fair amount of knitting time over the last couple of days. My back decided it didn't want to work anymore, so I spent most of Saturday night, Sunday and today stretched out on the couch or sleeping (pain meds can really knock you on your butt). In between naps there wasn't much to do other than knit, so I should have been able to get at least one project completed... but nope, in my true A.D.D. fashion, I worked on several projects, finishing none.

I completed the sixth row on the fan shawlThere are only seven more fans to complete (one row), then eight half fans (last row), then the border. If I had worked steady on this, it would probably be blocking right now, but instead, I also worked on this:
I switched it over to my new harmony DPNS (nice points) and so far I like them a lot.

The sock is about halfway down the foot, and had I worked steady on it, it would probably be done.

But of course I was working on the shawl too. And, I added a few more squares to the sockghan, which I hadn't touched almost all month in an effort to make UFO August count... I don't have any pictures of it, because three more squares doesn't really make it look much different than it did. When I complete a few more rows, I'll show it to you again.

For some reason, I've also been itching to cast on something new with the Fiddlestick Country Wool mom bought me several months ago. I can't seem to find the perfect pattern for it... but that's probably just as well, because I really want to get at least three more things off the needles before I cast something else on.... maybe I should do a UFO September too...

Falling Behind

Well I've been back to work for most of the week and I just want to say.... Can I go back on vacation???

Actually it hasn't been that bad, just a really long short week. I picked up some extra shifts at Job# 2, so it feel like I've done nothing but work since Tuesday night. I got off Job # 1 early today and I don't have to work at Job #2 tonight, but I've been using most of the day to catch up on housework and Wandering Cat business, so it's not like I've been relaxing.. or knitting.

And speaking of knitting... UFO August is kind of a bust for me. I only got one project off the needles. I know August isn't over yet, but I'm working tomorrow, and Monday I picked up another shift at job #2, so both those days are a bust. If Dave absolutely leaves me alone Saturday night and all of Sunday (highly unlikely, the boy can't sit still for five minutes) I might be able to finish my fan shawl. But I doubt that will happen.

Also, I kinda negated the whole casting off one project by casting on for this:
It's the long version of the Wollmeise ankle sock. I was going to have Mom test knit it (so I wouldn't have to make a full length sock), but Julie has her on a deadline so it was wait or do it myself. Since I really want to get this pattern out I decided to suck it up and do it myself.

I did get a nice little present today, thanks to my wonderful MomA set of Knit Picks Harmony DPNS, and some much needed stitch markers. Technically it's not really a present, it's a trade for the Addi Click cords I bought her, but I like presents better than trades... so it's a present.

So now that cleaning and business and blogging are done, I'm off to knit until Dave shows up and spoils it all.

The Great Staycation: Day 6

Well this is it, the last day of vacation... and it's not even a full day. In about 20 minutes I have to leave for Job 2. With all the vacations going on there, I wasn't able to get anyone to cover tonight's shift... c'est la vie.

I can't believe how fast the last six days have gone and I seriously could use six more, but I won't be getting it... maybe in October I can swing a little more time off.

Anyway, here's what I was up to today.

This is pretty much what I've looked like for the last year or so.
I'd gotten my hair permed about a year ago, and once again in March. I loved the curls, but now it was getting to the point where it was falling and dried out and my options were perm it again, or...... cut it off! So I did. I've actually been humming and hawing over what to do with it for weeks, but the other day, coupons for the hair salon came in the mail, so I figured it must be a sign. I headed out this morning and got it chopped.

Other than that, I've done a little knitting, but nothing too exciting so I'll save it for another post.

So, so long vacation... it's been a slice!

The Great Staycation: Day 5

I wanted today to be a productive day, so I got up at 9 a.m. with Dave and saw him off to work.

Before he left, he told me it was too nice out to stay inside, so I should find something to do outside. When I told him I planned on sewing, he told me to take my sewing machine up to Mom's and sew on her back porch.

I had no intention of doing that, but I did the next best thing... I opened every window that didn't have an air conditioner in it, threw back the curtains and let the sun shine in. Now that the rain has taken away all that yucky humidity, it's so nice.

Rocky thought so too, and checked out each open window in turn.

In the morning I puttered around the house, doing a little cleaning and waiting for the phone to ring (Dave finally gave up on Mom's laptop and handed it over to some experts.)

Then I figured the best way to make the phone ring, was to get involved in the project I was putting off because I didn't want to be involved in it when the phone rang.

So I set to finishing my quilt.

Now, the only place I have large enough to layout and cut is my living room floor. Which meant dealing with a lot of this:
and this:
Despite the suspect "help" I chugged along

Size check one:
Not quite there.
Size check two:
Wide enough, but need more length
Size check three:
Perfect!

Now I just need to add the binding, lay out the layers, pin it all and get quilting. I don't know what it is, but I always seem to underestimate how long my sewing projects will take... I guess it's a good thing I don't sew very often. I'd be eternally annoyed.

I also whipped up some catnip bags for the kids:And whipped off this little number:This will be put away as a Christmas for a special little girl who loves Barbies as much as I do. I'll probably whip up a few more before then.

That phone call finally did come (and interrupted my sewing) so Mom and I headed down to pick up her laptop (all fixed!) and went out for dinner.

Now I think the rest of the evening will be spend knitting... nothing but knitting

Tomorrow... stay tuned for whining... lots of whining

The Great Staycation: Day 4

It's hard to believe Day 4 has come and gone already.

Not much excitement today, but really a good vacation day. Dave finally let me sleep in, and we got up around 11:30 a.m. We ran some errands then came home and I did pretty much nothing but knit and watch movies. And, in honour of UFO August... I got one project off the needles!The Wollmeise ankle socks are done, and I even have some left over for a few sockghan squares! I was also pleased that the second sock pooled/swirled the same as the first, if not quite in the same place. I want to have Mom test knit this pattern, and then I will make it available.

Oh, in between all the knitting and sitting, I baked some cookiesPeanutbutter for Dave who was not having fun with mom's laptop.

Now I'm off to make his lunch for tomorrow (tuna fish sandwiches... yum!) and then off to snuggle down beside him for the night.

Tomorrow stay tuned for a day in pieces!

The Great Staycation: Day 3

I must really love that boy... because he had me up at 7 a.m. this morning.

And it was all about this:
Both Dave and his uncle are classic car guys. The '69 Mustang is his uncles, the '67 Bonneville is Dave's. Today was all about classic cars and showing support for our troops with a fundraising cruise from Port Credit to Oakville and back, with a nice lunch at the legion. The idea is to raise enough money to erect a memorial along the Highway of Heroes.

They didn't get the turn out they were hoping for, likely because it was threatening to storm. But it was fun none-the-less.

Here are some highlights:I didn't get much knitting done because somebody locked my knitting in the trunk when I wasn't looking on the grounds that knitting "wasn't cool enough" to do in a classic car on parade. Looks like he just screwed himself out of a new pair of socks! I did manage some before it went MIAIt's the second ankle sock in Wollmeise. I'm about halfway done the heel.

After lunch, we took a jaunt into Toronto to pick up mom's motherboard and then headed back to Dave's to relax and give some love to Mopar:Now we're back home, I'm pouring a glass of wine and putting my feet up, and Dave is reassembling Mom's laptop.

Tune in tomorrow for... I don't know yet, we don't have any plans.... except sleeping in!

The Great Staycation: Day 2

Today started at a much better hour, when I crawled out of bed at 10 a.m. to greet a damp (it must have rained over night) but sunny morning.

After handling the morning's business (feeding the cats and fish, reading email, catching up on the day's news, etc.) I headed out to St. Catharines for a little shopping. Dave needed a new pair of shoes... and like any good man, he won't go shopping himself... it's much less painful for both of us if I just do it.

Payless was having a BOGO sale, and surprisingly I didn't buy anything.. I don't know about you but I haven't been impressed with any of their shoes lately... and their men's selection is terrible. But Reitmans was having a BOGO too... and I kinda bought some stuff there, even though I promised myself I wasn't going to buy any more clothes. ( I just gave a whole garbage bag full to my best friend)

You see the problem is this: It's back to school season. Even though I hated school, I always loved back to school, because it meant new clothes. I used to scour the flyers in the weeks leading up to school, picking out outfits and imagining how much better they were going to make my life.

But now I'm pushing 30, and I have no school to go back to, so when I see the flyers... I feel left out. Anyway that's my story and I'm sticking to it, because it justifies the purchase of five more tops and a pair of pants.

After that bit of self indulgence, I headed on into Walmart to get Dave's shoes. I did that and managed not to do any back-to-school shopping for myself there... though I was tempted.

I did hit Giant Tiger on my way home though. In their back-to-school flyer they advertised a collapsible foot stool, and well... my foot stool looks like this:
You see, Tux has a thing for wicker... it's like catnip too him and he has to scratch the hell out of it. The faux leather top was destroyed by Rocky (as pictured) because he decided it would make a good launch pad when he's stalking Peno (or just running around like an idiot).

When I got to Giant Tiger, I discovered I had a choice of faux leather or faux suede. It was a really hard decision because the leather could get ripped up, but the suede would collect cat hair like a magnet. In the end I went with the leather, as you can see to the left.

(Yes Tux we know you're the king of the castle, you don't need to yell it in our ear)

As soon as I took the picture, I dumped Tux on the couch, and put a blanket over it. It should keep it looking new for at least a week or two.

But the best thing about it, is that it's hollow. The top comes off and it's a great place to hide... I mean... store yarn. The old one was the same and when I transferred its contents over, I found a whole bunch of yarn I forgot I had. It's almost as good as finding money in the pockets of the coat you haven't worn all year.

Once home, I set to work on the studio (as I'd planned to do yesterday before my efforts were thwarted). The studio was bad.

Really bad.

This is months (at least since May) of just throwing things in and shutting the door.

I have a whole stack of ironing to do that has piled up because I couldn't even get to my ironing board. And seriously... would you want to turn and iron on in there... I'd probably set the place on fire!

I've been meaning to get to this over and over, but I just kept putting it off. So today I opened the door and under the supervision of the dastardly duo:

I went to work.

It's not quite finished now. There are a lot of bead purchases that need to be put away properly, tonnes of documents that need to filed or shredded, and shelves that need attention, but at least I can get in there again. And iron with out the risk of a four alarm blaze.

After the great studio cleanup, I had a bath, read for an hour, wrote a letter. No knitting today, but I might get some done a little later on.

And now I'm about to head out to Dave's. I'm spending the night there because we have another early morning tomorrow, and another day full of events I didn't plan on.

So, tune in tomorrow for Classic Cars and War Heroes.

(PS Some wanted to know about Mopar's diabetes. The vet said it was most likely his age and the fact that he was overweight that contributed to it, not that he was a large breed cat)