Lorenzo Knits A Tomato

Quickie

Last week had a few days that had the skies were very angry, with lots of wicked thunderstorms.

All of the light green at the bottom of this picture?  It's my vegetable garden going thru its "resting" phase.  The weeds are so high that they scare me.  I won't go in there without a life-line to the house around my waist.

So what better to have for dinner than nachos?

Everytime we have them Tom says "This is fun."  And he would be correct.

Now.  Everyone hop on over to Chris's blog and wish her a Happy Birthday, today.  You don't have to literally hop.  Just a click on the link will do.  But if you do literally hop, please let me know - I could use the laugh.

Tomorrow is Tom's birthday and we're going to the movies and then going to have dinner out.  That's a biggie because we usually bring stuff home.

I'm guessing he's going to try to get some golf in, in the morning.  And that will be fine because it's his DAY! (It also gives me time to wrap all of his gifts.  SHHHHH!  Don't tell him!)

Over a week...

Check out the sidebar for the Stash-A-Go-Go link.  I'm trying to de-stash just a wee bit.  We now return to our semi-regularly scheduled blogging.

So much nothing going on happening. 

No posts in a week because...

- Over a week of headaches and eye problems (which makes me limit my on-line time to less than an hour at a shot).  To find out what my eye feels like you would need to hold your eye open for about a minute, while standing in front of a fan.  Even if I blink, the eye is just not "lubing up" with tears and the day goes down hill from there. 

- In learning Aperture, I accidentally filed all of my most recent photos under "Binky" because I had a lesson and then, 2 days later, forgot to change that heading.  And I don't want to keep uploading photos onto my computer with that heading.  Not that I don't LOVE Binky (and her Mom).  It's just...you know.  DUH!

- Harry Potter (finished in 3 days).

- Problems with our fridge sounding like a lawn mower.  This was the culprit. 
I think it looks like a mini city.

- A frantic search for something...I can't tell you what but most of the stores no longer carry them.

- I went with blogless Jane to the LYS.  This LYS is frequently out of needles and has a spotty record when it comes to having yarn in stock.  You know the kind...I need 3 and they only have 2, etc.   It's a shame because the people that work there are SO nice.  We found yarn and pattern, for a sweater for her new grand-daughter.  I just have to order the needles for her - she doesn't "computer" either.

- Tom's birthday is quickly approaching - I've cleared the stores of all golf and iPhone related things.

- Much swearing has been going on because of computer stuffs.

- I've STILL only gotten thru Clue 2 of the Mystery Stole 3.

- We bought a bicycle for Tom at the greatest bicycle shop and we've started riding - but in baby steps.  And it DOES count if you ride to the deli to pick up breakfast bagels.  Hey, 3 miles is 3 miles.

- Waiting not so patiently for my Kauni yarn (it left Denmark on Monday but I WANT it!).

- I found these.

Have you ever seen anything so cute?  Ben & Jerry's dixie cups.  A touch of childhood but even BETTER!  I bought a ton of these.  Nothing better for portion control...as long as you only eat 1 a day. LOL.

- STILL no roofer coming to check out the damages and give us a quote on repair.

- More work on my Child's First Sock.
  I tried it on last night and realized that the foot is too tight so now I have to figure out how to enlarge it, starting at the gusset decreases.  The leg fits fine.  Maybe if I do the foot on a larger needle?  Possibly just the instep stitches, which means I have to go from Magic Loop to, GASP, dpn's or 2 circs. (I'm thinking this thru as I type) I don't look forward to the ripping.

If you add it all up it's still really boring with knitting and riding thrown in.

Unless you add in THIS!  A generous benefactor gave me her invitation (Ravelry ID: Mooflower) and it's really cool!  Much work to be done in it.  Thank You Anonymous (but not to me) Knitter!!!

Um...yeah...Hi...Weekend...Harry (Tom was at Sam's Club at 7am.  $18 there.  No lines and he even brought me home a latte!)...knitting group...

Entertain your grandma the folks, Wes.

He used to do this without even bending his head.

It was touch and go for a bit.  Thought I'd have to use the jaws of life.

Thank you very much.  He'll be here all week.

Is that a steek in your pocket?

Yeah, um, so some people pointed out that I may have neglected to say what I'm going to be steeking. 
It may have slipped my age-addled brain. 

Here's a beautiful example of the steekage that shall take place.  It's a Kauni Cardigan!  Isn't it lovely?  Don't YOU want to make one?

For now, I will leave you with a little iPhone strip-tease. (Made with the Lorna's Sport from Marisol.)

Da-da-da  Dah-dah-dah-dah

Boom-shimmy-Boom-shake

Tassle twirl!

Burned!!

I was burned about my age, in a comment...and it wasn't even on my own blog!  OUCH.  Someone's gonna get a few extra gray hairs for that.  :-P

This, after taking a horrible beating yesterday.  An arm twisting extraordinaire.  Well, a push.  Maybe a nudge. (That's a proper nudge - not the yiddish nudge which is pronounced "nooje")

All right, it was just an "Aw, come on, do it."

And I had already been browsing before the above mentioned smack-down.

So I spent the afternoon playing with color combinations.  Making Tom nuts. "This one and THIS one???" And I ordered the yarn for it.  (Maybe even 4 colors because I just can't choose until I see them.) So we could be partners in steeks.

Because what kind of knitters would we be, without a nudge?

Check out the sidebar for the Stash-A-Go-Go link.  I'm trying to de-stash just a wee bit. 

Monday Morning Blend

I, myself, prefer a latte.

But, WILL IT BLEND?

Ravelry Watch

patiently awaiting your invite (to Ravelry)?       

Found you!      

• You signed up on June 22, 2007
• You are #10581 on the list.
• 5001 people are ahead of you in line.
• 5819 people are behind you in line.
• 32% of the list has been invited so far

So, basically, I'm stuck in the middle.  Who's with me?
       

Sunny Saturday

Weather forecast brought to you by Lily.

Also

MS3...now with LIFE-LINE!

Yeah.  Lose a stitch, learn a lesson.

I've also switched from post-its row markers to my KnitPicks magnetic board and katcha-katcha counter.  I suppose the farther along you get the more reinforcements you want to use.

I know. You're saying "Where the heck did she get that cute pirate bag?"  I won't lie.  It's new.  Another fine product brought to you by Etsy.  Go check out Anna's shop.

Cat Yack

My progress on the Mystery Stole 3.  Up to row 79.  The cat yack that is lace. But I love the process of "mystery knitting" when I didn't think I would.  Who knew?

A lot of this week has been spent in front of the computer(s), still trying to move everything onto the Mac.  It's a time suck of a chore and my eyeballs feel like the Sahara.

I'm also trying to learn how to use Aperture.  I know I've said I was learning it, before, but I was just winging it.  Now I've got lessons uploaded and am working thru.  More slowness.  More eyeball headaches. So most of the nights I can't bring myself to knit and just sit and count the minutes to bedtime, when I can close my eyes and give them some rest.

I got a treat from Marisol, in a very yarnish form. Whoo hoo!

That's Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in Sand Hill colorway.

Tom promptly claimed it as the yarn he wants me to use for his iPhone case.   So I'm just adding it to the list of "Gotta Do Now".

This weekend I'm going to start pulling out my yarns to re-organize. A big reason for this is that I'm swapping yarn with Marisol and can't remember where I put the swap yarn.  PLUS when I put NeedleTrax onto the Mac, I may have lost some info. (See how I say "may"...like it's really not a biggie?)

I just figure that if I'm good and patient I'll get my invite to Ravelry and can thumb my nose at NeedleTrax. 

Wait.  Wait.  Toe tapping.

Has anybody seen my roof?

A nice sunny day and then WHOOSH! the sky opened and we were floating in the dark.

OK.  I may have overstated a bit.  The rain was coming down in sheets and the winds were whipping up to 60 mph.  Tom and I watched chairs float across our deck.  And then....the dripping sound.  It's one that I dread everytime it rains.

We had the roof fixed (a few times) last year.  And it began dripping in the exact same spot, last night.  (SOB!)

It was the wind's fault.  It was blowing the rain sideways, right at the seam of the roof.  The lights flickered and then they were out.  Panic set in. (You folks with well water will understand why)

Tom went downstairs to see if the basement flooded and found that the water had come in right over the fuse box so he quickly shut that down.  Let's just say there was a generator and blow dryer involved in the clean up.  But the power was still out for about 4 hours. 

I was THIS CLOSE to going to bed at 9:30pm when Tom's sister called.  I could hear her asking him "Do you have power?" and as she said "power" the lights came back on.  MAGIC!!  This was after Tom had said "I think we're going to be in the dark for a few days."  Thank you, SIL!

I found this when I came back from the store, this morning.  Not too bad in the scheme of things.  Some people had trees and chimneys fall on their cars.  Yup.  Chimneys!

And to think we could have been having some camping fun like this gal.

On the knitting front, I was toiling away on the MS3 when I realized that I am NOT a lace knitter.  Can't do it.  Don't wanna.  RRRIIIIIIPPPPPPP!!!!!

This is not to say that I don't love the laceweight yarns.  But I'll probably try to use them doubled...the next time I attempt using them.  (Also don't like the Addi Lace circular needle.  Thank goodness for KnitPick Options with their pointy little tips.)

I was all ready to order new yarn (Tom, hand me my laptop?) when I had this brilliant thought.  STASH!  I'm so proud of me!  I rooted around and am now doing the MS3 with Elann Peruvian Baby Silk in Sapphire.

I'm almost done with Clue #1 and am LOVING it, now.  I was so happy when I started it over that Tom thought I was nuts while I cackled and danced around the room.  (That's not nuts, right?)

Mom, just close the cover and send me to Binky, 'k?

Saturday and more from last week

A belated Congrats to Joey Chestnut, 'cause you KNOW he reads my blog.

When I got home from A/C, I was amazed to find a package from Rox.  How neat is it to get birthday presents 2 months after your birthday?!?!?!?  I loved it and highly recommend sending gifts AFTER a birthday to extend the joy.  :-D

Because I couldn't wait to unwrap everything I can only show the empty paper...

And the gifties before they spread to the 4 winds.  ("Hurry Tom.  Take a picture!")

• Keychain Sock Blocker Sock
• Bubble Stickers
• Pretty Note Cards
• A Piglet toy for Wes
• A skein of ArtYarns Ultramerino 6 (I love ArtYarns yarn!)
• A laser chaser (again, for Wes)

Happy Dance!!!

Thank you, Rox!  Now, everyone go over and check out her new blog home, Purple Spaghetti.  Go on!

I've also spent the last week taking care of a friends cat and bird.  Everyone meet Sassy!

Please don't comment on her...ahem...weight.  She's kinda sensitive about it.  But it does make for better belly rubs.

Lunch with a friend and then Knitting Group, today.  Vest knitting HERE I COME!

Makes me sad

This stuff makes me sad. Grumman employed a large portion of Long Island, myself included.  Now...well, this story says it all.

On to other stuffs.

Last week I had a few days away doing some charity work in Atlantic City.  (Translation: I donated to the casino.)  This didn't happen often enough.

I also start on a Child's First Sock (in the hotel room!) using Lorna's Laces in the Mother Lode colorway.  Love the sock and love the colors!

Check this out.  A Mini Cooper COVERED in Swarovski Crystals.

And Sandy and the sock - barely finished the ribbing at this point.  She thinks I'm nuts but she's always ready to have fun.

Last week was the first Clue for the Mystery Stole 3.  Out of 100 rows, I've got 30 done.  :-(  The charts are so well written that I'm not having any problems following along.

Maybe I'll just work on this Sunday and try to catch up.  Not sure how I like using the Zephyr, yet.

Also did a bit of work on the Vest of Joy.  Hopefully, only about 60 more rows to go on the back.

More tomorrow!