I've Moved!

Here!

Easy Like Wednesday Mornin'

We were gonna go to the library this morning, but ended up sleeping until 9:30 a.m....a most unusual occurence in these parts. Guess we both were pretty wiped-out.

Here's my Smooch at the breakfast table with her camera-wielding mom. Each day she dresses herself - today's choice was a thrifted dress that I found a while back at the Salvation Army. Near as I can tell, it's handmade, which makes me sooo happy - I live for finding goodies like this. And the bling? An old brooch from mama's little jewelry box that she decided was a "must have/must wear" today.

Been loving the Steel-Cut Oats with cream and brown sugar for breakfast lately.
Plans are to putz around the house, go to a school conference this afternoon, a violin lesson in the evening.
Guess I'd better change out of my jammies before then, though.
Happy Wednesday!

I Should be Laughing

But no, Mama's not laughing.

You see, I was knitting along happily on the Laughing Carrots cardigan for my son, loving the pattern and patting myself on the back for making it through the dry and dehydrating terrain of blinding stockinette stitch.

Finally, I had reached the point where I could put the stitches for the left and right armholes on holders and was all set to knit "Waffle Style" on the back.

Turns out I don't know how to count. Somehow I lost this most basic of abilities back when I casted-on for the cardigan. Because while I have 38 stitches on each holder (good, good), there are 81 remaining on the circular when there should be 75 (bad, very bad). I have counted and re-counted and as it turns out I did, indeed, cast on 157 stitches instead of 151 for a size 8 sweater. (Commence self-flagellation by rapping on my knuckles with a very long and very obnoxious size 15 knitting needle.)

Now what? Rip it all out? Or take a little detour....

(Can you hear the laughter of a crazy lady? I can!)

...I'm thinking I can make those 6 sneaky stitches that came from beyond disappear...divide them in half and place three on each holder so that I am left with 75 on the circular. Then, when I start working the sleeves, I can just decrease those extra stitches....make it seem as if they never even existed...hahahahahah, mwaahhhhahah

If it all works out then I'll ask my 8 year old to teach me to count, because clearly, I need help.

Meltdowns and Mediterranean Chicken Stew

Today was one of those days that challenged me as a parent. One of those days that draws from my reservoir of patience (which is always filled to the brim, ready to be tapped-into, haha). "Because I Said So" sat on the tip of my tongue for hours...

I love this kid. He is my son. I love his curiosity and humor, his sensitivity and his fire.
Today it was all about the fire due to a miscommunication that resulted in hurt feelings and disappointment. He ranted and raged and, in the end, got it all out. And isn't that the point? So many of us hold it all in until we can't take it anymore. I'm all for letting my kids get their anger out - put it out there, let's deal with it, and then let's move on. In the midst of it all I somehow managed to say things like, "It's okay for you to feel bad, but it's not okay for you to treat others badly." "You need to pull it together because you can't hear what I'm saying and I can't be an audience to your anger any longer." "I know you're disappointed and I'm truly sorry and I love you." (I swear I'm so much better at dealing with my kids' frustrations and emotions than I am at dealing with my own - I'm getting better as I age, but you know. I'm a work-in-progress.) Earlier he was disappointed (and he probably still is), but when he crawled into bed with his two cookies, glass of milk, and a Highlights magazine he had a smile on his sweet face and a hug for me, and for that I am happy. And tomorrow is a new day.
Anyhoooooo.....

Borrowed this book from the library and I absolutely love it. So far I've made the Roasted Chicken, I've poached some chicken breasts (broth at the ready in the freezer, yay!) and tonight we had the Mediterranean Chicken Stew with Polenta, which was very yummy.

I think I'll be buying that book once I have to give it back to the library.

Working on:

a little embroidery.

Finished...

that Silly Squiggle Scarf.

Joined...

the Yarn of the Month Club. All good, I tell ya. And I mean all.

Welcome to my Stash

I love to knit, and I love yarn. Since I started knitting about 5 years ago, I've been buying it and stashing it all around my nest - which is what knitters do, right? Just thinking about all the wonderful things I'm gonna make...well. It's time to stop talkin' and do some walkin'.

One day I was looking around for a good knit-along and I came across this awesome little place. I quickly joined up and shall begin attacking the stash on March 1st.

As evidence of my stash issues, let's have a peek behind door #1, shall we?

Here's a trunk'o yarn in the bedroom closet.

I'd say it's about 3/4 full - and look! A couple FO's! (Dishcloths to be gifted at Christmas. I love the mindless garter stitch of knitted dishcloths.)

Here we have an old suitcase filled with yarn. Some from a recent episode of "lost time at the yarn store." Sadly, we have an abandoned project in there - the blue multi was a sweater for my son, but I the colors just weren't doing it for me.

Here we have more "bedroom yarn." (What, yarn is sexy! ..isn't it...?) Five drawers filled with yummy goodness: miscellaneous wool, sock yarn, cottons, remnants, and the makings of a cardigan for my son....back when he was 5...more than three years ago. (Sorry for the blurry photo, but Stash isn't used to seeing the light of day, much less modeling for photo-ops.)

Oh, and there's more. But rather than delve deeper into the underworld of Stash, here's a nearly-finished object:

My Silly Squiggle Scarf. Because I love the colors. And, well, because.

Have a great day!

Showin' and Tellin

Got the chance to shop a little this weekend, and found this stuff at an antique mall:

Two nice baskets, a big 100% wool blanket, a little Pyrex dish, and an apron that totally rocks my world.

Truthfully, I'm not an apron-person. This is the first one that I've ever worn.

But I'll be darned if I'm not just crazy about this fabric. I love love love it. Those flying, singing , round-bodied birds make me so happy.

Anyhow, when I was purchasing the wool blanket, the store owner was talking about how it would be great as an insert in a duvet...then I thought how about as the "innerds" of a quilt? It would make a super warm blanket that way, but I don't even know where to begin , or when for that matter. (I've got so many things in the pipeline that I may have to call RotoRooter before too long.) If anyone has any suggestions, etc. I'm all ears/eyes!

Good Intentions and a Poem

Well, I had intended to make a "Little Red Riding Hood" cape for Juliet for Valentine's Day, but I haven't gotten any further than buying the fabric and pattern for it. Oh well. My intentions were good, and shall be realized before too long.

Tonight we're ordering out for Chinese food, my son's request and his favorite. After that I plan on coloring my hair. I don't mind my natural color, but I'm in the mood for some red. I used to color my hair all the time (I've had pretty much every haircolor except green at some point in my life), but after I had Charlie 8 years ago, I developed an allergy to all haircolorants. I have no idea why, but I was bummed out. There's some chemical in there that makes my skin burn - not a pretty sight, and not a pretty feeling. Anyhow, tonight I'm using a Henna cream that a local co-op just started carrying.

It's been fun for me to post poems on my little blog this week - I'd forgotten how much poetry means to me, and how much I really love to read it. Going forward I'm gonna post at least one poem each week, because I think it's good to share them, and I need to keep that part of my brain turned on. Here's one by Donald Hall (beloved husband of the late Jane Kenyon):

Valentine

Chipmunks jump, and
Greensnakes slither.
Rather burst than
Not be with her.

Bluebirds fight, but
Bears are stronger.
We've got fifty
Years or longer.

Hoptoads hop, but
Hogs are fatter.
Nothing else but
Us can matter.

Happy Valentine's to your and yours!