Ravelry Invite........

I forgot to mention I had received my invitation from Ravelry the same day last week as the meetup, Wednesday. I've been busy learning how to enter items, looking up projects, joining groups, and just enabling myself to extend my fiber "addiction". (At least it's a safe addiction - causes no harm to anyone except my wallet and time - lol)

I had viewed several projects in on line, in catalog, books, and magazines over time. However, seeing them as items here, has me adding several new ones to my queue.

I think I'm in love with this site.............

Tired, Sleep Deprived Due to Cats and Puppy, and I Still Want to Knit...........

Thanks to my cat, Megan, I haven't been sleeping well all week. She has acquired the nasty habit of sitting outside the bedroom door and meowing until I come out to her. I wouldn't mind, but I have to get up for work. She keeps coming back when I shoo her away from the door. None of the animals come in the bedroom. It's the only spot off limits to them. One of the kittens, Tipper, also meows and paws at the door once Megan is finally away from it. I don't understand the sudden fascination with coming in the bedroom with us. All I know is I am taking a nap almost every afternoon for about 30 minutes just to make it through the day. It's funny that the little furball, Megan, leaves me alone then. Tipper is usually squawking anyway.

The puppy, Pooh, has even gotten into the act. After I leave for work, he started yipping and barking. This means my husband gets about 5 to 6 hours of sleep if he's lucky.

I don't know if the recent humidity and warm weather is affecting them or what. I think I need to call the vet for some meds to calm their behinds down..........Little brats.........

The stole is still at Clue 2. I don't trust myself not to make mistakes because of the tiredness. My second sock is progressing nicely. I'll probably turn the heel this weekend.

Gotta go to the market, then do laundry and housework, then bed with my knitting for a while til I can sleep............If the brats let me.........

Knitting, Meeting People, and Working Late.......

This past Wednesday, I went to a knitting meet up at Border's in Cranston. I had a great time and plan to be at the next meeting. Hopefully, I will have a couple of more people with me. The owner of somebunnyslove.com is the host of the meetings and a very interesting person to talk to.

Thursday was just a work, work, knit, knit kind of day - nothing special....except I fixed my mistake in my MS3 stole and am now ready to start clue 2. I even knit on it in the car waiting for another friend to meet me for supper. lol I had taken it to work to show a couple of people, so it was calling to me to fix it.

Today, I got to spend the majority of at the hospital ER with a patient. I didn't get out of work until after 10p.m. No lunch or supper break. I just snacked on a sandwich from the concession in the lobby which I had bought when my patient went to have his x-rays done. As he slept from the medication he was given to calm his agitation, I knit my sock. The first one is finished, and the second one has all it's ribbing in place. Since I started the stole, my sock is only travel knitting........It's possible it's feeling neglected..........

MS3 is Started..........

After the bead episode, I stopped by Jonne's store to show him the beads. When I asked his opinion, he felt the cream beads would be lost in the yarn, since it is essentially the same shade. The clear just didn't do it for him either. He loved the mauvy purple with it. I trust his judgement in fiber, so purple it is.........

Well, I'm now on row 41, and I love the way the beads look. He's right.......The cream would have been lost in there. The purple are a bit iridescent as well and really give off a nice sparkly tone. Hopefully, I can finish clue 1 by tomorrow night. This is definitely a stay home project. Socks are for traveling........

Round, and Round, and Round.........I'm Lost in Providence........

Well I spent 2 hours lost in my own capitol city today. The street I needed kept coming up, just the wrong way on a one way. Eventually, I got onto the end I needed just to search endlessly for a parking spot. After circling the area about four times, I found a great parking spot. The walk to the bead shop was less than a block. I was sure the cop was going to stop me if I drove past him one more time. lol

Once inside the shop, I was a bit disappointed in the service at first. I explained it was my first time there and didn't know where to find the beads I needed. Part of the explanation included the project planned for the beads. I was told with a wave of a hand, "All the seed beads are on that wall." Not good........nothing was labeled with sizes, prices, or colors. Again, I approached her, apologized for being a pest, and asked for help. This time she told me I wanted the biggest beads on that wall. Finally, on the third attempt to get help, she came over. I ended up with size 6 instead of 8 because I didn't think the crochet hook would make it through the hole of the 8s. (I forgot to bring it with me.) When asked how many beads to a vial, she gave me the wrong info. I actually sat and counted the whole vial out and it had twice as many as she said....200 beads. I only needed to buy 2 not 3 of each color.

Now, she is very pleasant to me, explaining if I buy 5 vials, the 6th one is free. I picked out 3 colors....clear, cream, and a mauve/purple color. I figured I probably won't need them for a while, but better to stash them at home. I paid, got a frequent shopper card, and left.

I then went to ACMoore to return the huge beads I had gotten last week. The same staff member was in the department when I went to look at other beads. Also, I realized I could have saved myself a lot of aggravation and a trip to the city if she had known the beads I needed were right there the whole time. They have a huge supply of seed beads on display.

Uninformed staff is a bad thing to have. I wish stores would put trained, knowledgeable people in areas they are more familiar with instead of just plopping people in an open slot. Maybe they don't realize this costs them sales in the long run.

Knitpicks arrival today...........Beads tomorrow.............

I picked up my cone of yarn from Jonne's store tonight after work. It's a nice soft Shetland yarn in it's natural color. I also fell in love with some of the other laceweight yarn colors and plan to get some of them later. He has his own hand dyed roving calling my name as well. I see many more stops there on my way home in the next few weeks..........

When I got home, I found my Knitpicks order on the table. I really like the Bare yarn as well. The new sock yarn in solids, Risata, is also very pretty. Now I can work on a couple of those Favorite Sock patterns I didn't want to use variegated colors for.

I plan to use the Shetland for the MS3 now I have it. Tomorrow, I am going to the Beadworks store in Providence to pick up the seed beads. The cone will accompany me for comparison purposes. Matching beads is my goal. I checked the store out on line, but, I don't trust the colors to be true on the monitor.

Now I am anxious to start my MS3.......I am 3 clues behind as of today......... Yikes!!!

Saying "Good-bye" to a friend of 25 years..........

I got the dreaded call tonight around 5:40. I have held my breath every time I answered my phone for the last two days waiting for it. It happened........My friend, Sheelagh, passed away tonight. We had met at work in 1982 and became quick friends. She was old enough to be my mom, and, sometimes tried to act like it. My mom used to keep her in line about that. lol Her only son is a year younger than me.

She had a very interesting life. Sheelagh was from Great Britain, was on the stage in London in a chorus, and came here as a war bride on the Queen Mary in 1946 with thousands of others. The stories she told were insightful as to how WW II was from a British civilian viewpoint. The bombs dropping, air raids, and tough conditions...........While she told them, we used to sit and knit together. I loved to watch her way of holding the needles. She held them on top of her hands instead of under. In her closet was a box full of baby items she had made over the years, but, never had a grandchild to use them. I know her family will give them away to others with loving memories of her.

When Patty, her daughter-in-law, told me she wouldn't make the summer, I went to see her with another friend, Diane. We both knew the end was nearer than Patty thought. I'm glad I got a chance to say my "silent goodbye" to her while she was still aware. Sheelagh didn't want us to see her at the end. We had to respect her wishes even though both of us wanted to sit with her for a while.

Now I say: "Goodbye my dear friend, until we meet someday in the distant future. I know my family and yours will greet you today when you get there.......Love, your old friend"

Fire Number 2.....And Another Laceweight Yarn.........

Today was extremely hot here. The air was actually oppressive when you went outside for anything.

We are still on generator at work, but it appears to be o.k. The day was going well when.....all of a sudden......we hear "Code Red in ***** Building. This is not a drill."

Apparently, one of the patients in the psych building lit his mattress on fire. The entire building had to be evacuated outside. With the intense air conditions, we had to work fast to get water and shelter for the patients. It was a tough day, but, at the end, everyone was returned to the building. The mattress was gone, the building checked thoroughly by the firemen, and no one was hurt or got sick due to the weather conditions..........

I pray nothing happens tomorrow............It's suppose to be even hotter and more humid............

No knitting was done today on the sock. I am just too tired to pick it up and I had no lunch again today. I did stop to see Jonne after work. He has a laceweight yarn I really like, so I need to go back on Friday to pick it up. It's a Shetland wool in a natural color. There is enough on the cone to do two shawls or stoles.

I found a nice laceweight yarn in his shop. I checked the status of my Knitpicks order, and it is being processed. Now I need to see which one I want to use. Sana and Robin gave me directions to the "Beadworks" shop in Providence and I plan to visit it this weekend. Hopefully my Knitpicks order will be here and I can take both yarns with me to match beads to themt. If I find something I like at the store, I won't order the other ones from Sana's catalog.......So many options..............

Power Outages and Cable Woes.........

I went back to work today after a relaxing, calming week of vacation at home. As I go in the clinic, I notice half the lights are on. Apparently, we were on generator. Sometime during the evening, or night, there was a manhole fire that fried the wires for electrical power and phone service. The phones were only working in house, and, not connecting to outside lines. It's not an unusual occurrence to lose power and go to generator during the summer with the a/c and fans in use. But, today was different.

The generator was not going to make it. While waiting for the back-up generator to arrive from about 4 hours away, the whole facility was put into emergency mode. No one could leave, not even for your lunch break. There was the possibility of moving patients to other facilities, but it was not necessary.

After all this activity at work, I went to pay my cable/Internet/phone bill. I questioned the amount due and told the representative we were thinking of dropping some options. Or we might switch some services to another company. I got a great price adjustment for the next 12 months. I also got a new cable modem for free ($100 value).

I get home and decide to install the modem. All is going well. I plug in the hookups and my husband plugs in the power cord. Now I download the software and this where the problem develops. It won't work. No Internet.......Nothing. After three calls to tech support, and finagling around with the wires, it is finally working. Yay!!

Hopefully, tomorrow will be a smoother running day...........

Lapse in Yarn Diet....Again....

The yarn diet was moving along at a crawl, until recently. After signing up for the Mystery Stole 3, I decided to use a credit slip for a local LYS for the laceweight needed for this. Unfortunately, they don't carry laceweight yarns. I should have realized this before with the amount of times I have been there.

After talking to the sales person, and mentally going through the yarn in the stash, we came up with the idea to use yarn I had earmarked for a lacy sweater. Knitpicks had a pattern a couple of years ago called the MaryJane Sweater and I fell in love with it. Yarn was ordered in "Oregon Coast" and "Jewel" to make a couple of these, along with the pattern. Needles were part of my KR Elf exchange (wonderful lady for a partner), and plans were made to start it. Never happened...the cast on was done and frogged a couple of times. The yarn was put back in the stash for "someday" knitting.

Well, the "Oregon Coast" color was chosen for the stole. I ended up at four other shops plus Michael's and ACMoore for beads. Eventually, I found a cream colored bead that might work.

When I got home, I just didn't like this yarn for the stole. Thus, a big crash as I fell from the yarn diet wagon was heard..... Knitpicks has received my order for Bare laceweight yarn, along with a couple of other items to get the free shipping option. The beads won't work either, so when I go to work tomorrow, I will definitely be ordering from Sana. I have an older jewelry supply catalog here and found a couple of different options in that department.

O.K. I've picked myself up, and am back on the yarn wagon again. By the way, the food diet is going along slowly as well. My doctor changed a couple of meds and hopefully a few pounds will melt thanks to that..........

I am a Violet What Flower Are You?

"You have a shy personality. You tend to hesitate before trying new things or meeting new people. But once people get to know you, you open up and show the world what you are really all about."

Your Power Element is Water

Your power colors: blue and aqua Your energy: deep Your season: winter Like the ocean, you evoke deep feelings and passion.You have an emotional, sensitive, and spiritual soul.A bit mysterious, you tend to be quiet when you are working out a problem.You need your alone time, so that you can think and dream.

What's" Your Power Element?

Mystery Stole 3 Called to Me......

As I click into the Yarn Harlot's site to see what she's up to, I had no idea what was about to happen to me......Yep, she had a "warning" up about the Mystery Stole 3 KAL. Of course, there was no twisting of the arm necessary. I simply click the link, and created my own downfall.

My experience of lace knitting is limited to a few lace socks, hems and cuffs on a couple of sweaters, and a lonely WIP "Elizabeth" alpaca scarf I still need to finish. I may have to finish that before I actually think of any other lace project. I feel better able to handle it now I have had the lace sock experience.

After drooling over the pictures of clue 1, the decision was made. I had to sign up for this thing. I don't even have the yarn or beads yet. I know what I want though. White or cream yarn with clear or iridescent beads. Hopefully, I can order the beads from Sana at work before she puts her next jewelry supply order in.

The Retro Rib sock is giving me issues. I followed the pattern as directed until I had two repeats of the leg done. Holding it as far away from me as I can, the pattern is lost in this yarn. After altering the pattern to be a bit simpler, it looks better. There are just too many colors in this yarn for the pattern to pop out at you. I left the first two repeats as a break from the cuff to the leg, then knit rows 3 and 4 five times. This still didn't look great to me, so I am just doing the 4th row of the pattern. I do like the ribbing part of the pattern and think it shows up fine. I am about a third of the way down the leg now, and, hope to get to the heel turn before the weekend is out. I do have other commitments this weekend, but, my yarn travels well in it's little bag. DH will drive as usual so I can knit........I will have to make this pattern again in a less variegated or solid yarn which will show it up better........

The animals are o.k. Buddy the cat is not a happy camper because we had to shave him down due to multiple knots. He looks cute with his new do. Not too happy though right now. Pooh is still doing puppy things, like chewing on stuff he is not suppose to and pouncing on Isabella the cat. She gives him a good swat now and then to show him who's boss..........

"Flow" socks are completed!!

I finished the second sock while in the car riding home from a flea market today. I wove the ends in tonight and they fit nice. Now, I need to pick out another pattern from "Favorite Socks". I think I will pick the "Retro Rib Socks". They appear to be similar to the last pair I made, with a section of reverse stockinette between the pattern stitches. The yarn is by http://www.digitechpatterns.com/ again.....The "Dusk" color I tried to use for the "Waving Lace" pattern.

The LnV Sock Marathon KAL is suppose to be finished as of today. I did manage to make my goal, but, it was not as easy as I thought it would be. The last 2 pairs of socks were extra, but took a lot of time to complete. The "Favorite Sock" KAL is still going on at Socknitters.Hopefully, I can get a few more pairs made before that ends. I have decided to use one of my LnV yarns for "Meida's Socks", and one of the Kindred Spirits yarns for "Embossed Leaves". Also, I have yet to actually start my Lace Style socks.........So many pairs of socks....so little time............