Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Snow Day

Tuesday was a snow day...after 9 am anyway.  That is when the college closed, after D and I had made our way through the snow and wind to get there by 7 am (near white out conditions and the snow plows came in right after I parked).  D was confused on why we went to school at all, I think we are all a bit confused on that one.  



I'm not sure on the accumulation   We got snow, then rain, then more snow.  Plus the temp was about  30-34 degrees so a lot melted into slush.  Boy, do we have slush.  It was the wind and the yucky roads that caused the snow day, not the amount of snow.

Not to let a good snow day go to waste with cleaning and chores, I settled down in the recliner, started a Harry Potter movie marathon and knit.

I started my Saroyan wrap during Thanksgiving break. (How I knit anything that weekend, I am not sure.  I just remember feeling so sick.  I am so glad I am over that stage of my pregnancy.) I had new determination to finish that thing.  It had been on the needles too long and I did finish it during Chamber of Secrets.

It still needs some serious blocking, but D decided to model it for me.





She's a natural.

The yarn is Malabrigo (100% Merino) color 176 Loro barranquero.  It was a joy to knit with.  I hope to use this yarn in many more future projects.  Maybe a nice cardigan for myself this fall?

I also knit two dishcloths, which D is claiming for her kitchen center.  She thinks everything is for her, poor only-child-syndromed girl.  A rude awakening is coming and she knows it, but I don't think she really comprehends.

Now I have to figure out what to make next.  Any suggestions?



Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Just in Time

I finished the new niece's baby blanket just in time.  I spent Saturday morning and early afternoon with my mom going to resale shops all over the county.  I love resale shops.  It is like a treasure hunt, you never know what you are going to find, but when you find it, you know.  I got D a few dresses for summer and a present for the new niece.  In between stores, my mom drove and I crocheted.

Even after all the car crocheting, I still was not finished.  When my mom dropped me off, I still had the border to complete.  I was starting to panic, but then I found out we were not going to visit the wee babe until Sunday.  I happily finished the border and wrapped it up.



I did not get to crochet the lion hat as planned.  All my crochet hooks are missing.  I keep them all in a bright pink carrying case and that case has disappeared.  I can always find that bright pink case because it is bright pink.  I own nothing else bright pink.  It stands out.  I have had those crochet hooks since I learned to crochet 12-13 years ago.  I have made so many good things with those hooks.  I had a real relationship with them.  I guess I will just have to go to the craft store and buy a new set.  Then I can crochet that hat.

The blanket was a big hit on Sunday.


Look at all that hair on the new niece.  D didn't have that much hair until she was a toddler.

D is a proud cousin.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

The Unfortunate, Fortunate Day

My sweet, little D has a cold.  I'm not sure why I should describe her as sweet or little, she is neither, but when sick, all ornery and large children become sweet and little.

I took D to school on Monday with the cold, but after a miserable evening on Monday and hard-to-awaken girl (harder than usual any way) on Tuesday, we stayed home for the day.

It is most unfortunate to have a sick kid.  Especially when there is nothing I can do for her.  I gave her cold medicine and rubbed Vick's on her chest, but there really was nothing I could do to make her feel all better.  We watched Netflix and rested.  I made her an omelet per her request.

When D was comfortable,  I got to listen to my audio book and crochet on the blanket I am making for the new niece.  This was actually pretty fortunate.  On Monday I was no where near finishing the book for my YA for Adults book club at the public library on Tuesday night and I had only one repeat in the afghan. By Tuesday afternoon, I had finished the book and am 2/3 complete with the baby blanket.



I am using the Encore yarn that I had purchased to make myself a cardigan, but it seems silly to knit a cardi when I am pregnant and really don't know what size I will be next winter.  I didn't have too much trouble loosing baby weight the first time, but I just don't know about the second time.  I hope it will come off, I am much more active now, but also older and I hear baby weight gets harder to loose after each pregnancy.  I am trying to stay realistic, but optimistic.  Just not optimistic enough to make a sweater, yet.

The yarn is lovely and the pattern is a happy, rhythmic repeat.


With my bit of unfortunate, fortunate luck, I should be able to finish this up and get a hat done in time to visit the new niece this weekend.  That is, if we are all well.  Another unfortunate part of a sick kid is that she can spread her germs to you, especially when you snuggle with her and let her sleep on your lap. So as it goes, I have a cold, as of the middle-of-the-night.

It seems this is a pregnancy of illness.  This is my second cold in as many months.  At least it is not the flu.  Thank goodness!!! That is pretty fortunate.

Have you ever had an unfortunate, fortunate day? Or maybe a fortunate, unfortunate day? That is usually how my days go.

Monday, February 11, 2013

My Clumsy Life

I now realize I probably should have called my blog "My Clumsy Life" because that my be a better descriptor of my life. My life is clumsy is both definitions of the word: I lack dexterity grace and tact, and because of that (and other factors, like the craziness of my family) my life is often a bit unwieldy.  I just seems that whenever something is going long nicely, something crazy and unexpected happens.  It seems the more I try to be careful the more things fall apart.  It just seems to be the luck of my family.

Last week for the first time in my independent adult life, I had to drive myself (and my daughter) to the Emergency Room at 6:30 in the morning.  In my clumsiness, I cut open the back of my right hand on a chipped part of the mirror to my medicine cabinet.  I was reaching for my daughter's toothbrush.  Up until then, things were going relatively well for the morning routine (mornings are not D's strong suit). D and I were both dress and almost ready to go to school and work (ON TIME!), we just needed to brush our teeth, so I cut myself, badly.  After applying a Dora the Explorer band-aid and brushing our teeth, we set out, in the pouring rain, to the ER. (The husband was away on business otherwise I am sure he would have helped.)

D quite enjoyed the ER trip as my room had a TV and the Disney channel (we don't have cable). We were there just under 2 hours. With a newly stitched hand (3 stitches!!!), tetanus shot and antibiotics, we continued on our day. I dropped D off at day care and I went to work.  The typing and pain was too much and I went home at noon, but I feel good that I  made the effort to go to and stay at work for a few hours.

This little cut (about an inch) has ruled my life for the past few days.  I did knit a bit and read a bit, but mostly I tried to rest my hand and not get it wet. (Have you ever tried to not use your right hand or not get it wet?  It is a lot harder than expected.)  The best part of the weekend was that my sister and Mom came to visit and watch D so my husband and I could go on a date (first date in a long time, I can't remember the last one).



Us on our date...photographic evidence!  

You may be wondering if we have a new mirror/medicine cabinet.  We do not, but my husband put some epoxy on the chipped corner so it is no longer sharp and we started looking at replacements this weekend.  There are lots of choices and none of them are just right.  Plus my handyman is pretty busy with work this month so I am hoping for a replacement in March.

On the positive side, this blog will see some new handmade goodies this week (I hope, hope, hope).  My sister-in-law is in labor (or maybe she has delivered...I haven't heard yet!!! UPDATE: my niece was born this morning but no word on a name) and I realized last night I have not made any of the things I planned for my new niece!!! After a small panic attack, I have a  plan.  I think I can crochet at hat and a blanket by the weekend, right?

Happy birthday to my father-in-law and happy birth day to my new niece!


Tuesday, February 5, 2013

What to knit...

Look what came for me in Inter-Library Loan today...



What to Knit When You're Expecting by Nikki Van De Car

This might be the best pregnancy book I read all year.

I love being a librarian.

Now I just have to decided which to knit first.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Mystery Blanket

I finished something this weekend!  It is a fantastic crochet baby blanket, presumably for a baby boy.  It is not for me or my future family member, as I don't know the sex of this fetus until mid-March (if it cooperates).  But that is just means it gets to be a fantastic gift. I mean, who wouldn't want a handmade present.



You may be wondering why I haven't discussed this baby blanket before.  Baby blankets take hours and hours to make, as some point I should have mentioned that I am working on this project.  I could have told you all about the amazing progress I was making and how I've found energy to be crafty again (I wish).  

But, here is the best part, I didn't know about it.  A few weeks ago my mom found a bag with a nearly completed baby blanket in it. I vaguely remember working on the blanket many years ago (over ten?).  I don't know what would have caused me to abandon a 98% complete baby blanket.  I think I was making it for Project Linus. I have no idea about the pattern or the yarn used.  I don't even know what sized hook it was worked on.  All I know is that it needed the rest of the final row completed and then the ends sewed in. That's it!  So in under 10 minutes this weekend (during the Super Bowl) I made a baby blanket.

To finish the last row, I just had to look at the previous section to figure out what to do.  At first I did it wrong and forgot some chains between the single crochet and double crochets.  It is an easy mistake to make.  Yet, the chains create a much needed space to make the fan pattern, so I had to rip out and start the row again (that is why it nearly took 10 minutes, without the ripping-out it would have only been 5).  The repeat is easy and soothing.  It is the same thing over and over and over.  I love a good hypnotic pattern.  They are great for TV watching or child rearing because you can keep your spot when something exciting happens.  I really hope I can find the original pattern.  I really liked crocheting that last row.  If I can't find the original pattern, I probably could figure a pattern out, but, if I found the pattern, I wouldn't have to do math to figure out the chain and first row.  And not doing math is very good right now (I know I say it a lot, but the pregnancy brain really has me thinking slowly).

It is also fortuitous that I just happen to know someone about to have a baby boy. Someone who lives where it is cold and would need a nice warm blanket for a new baby boy, so it will soon be shipped off.

Farewell cute little blanket.

(ADDED NOTE: I found the pattern!!!! Sideways Shell baby Afghan by Donna Laing.  Yay no maths!!!)