Showing posts with label Blue Stripes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blue Stripes. Show all posts

Thursday, May 31, 2007

The Wait is Over [ffinally!]

[Deleted my rant about the "2-3 days" the PO said the parcel would take.]

My sister finally got the socks I mailed to her 10 days ago. She likes them, too!

When I found out that I would not be able to go down to the Carolinas for her surprise birthday party, I decided to gift her with the Blue Stripes. Had to keep all that a secret, of course. She Was surprised about the party - and the socks. :-)

Sunday, May 20, 2007

May Socks Completed

Sitting here with a big grin on my face ... The May Socks are finished! And here's the first photo I've taken with my new digital camera!

Specs
Pattern: leg - k4, p1 rib - continued on top of sock down to the toes
Yarn: Opal Feelings #1703
Needles: 5 dpns [US 1.5 bamboo] for the legs and then US size 1 for the rest

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Saturday morning miscellaneous

I'm nearly half finished reading Knitting Rules! Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is great!! She'll probably never be in my area...but I'd luv to hear her in person!

I went to a surprise 60th bd party for one of Buster & Sport's great-aunts last evening - at Carlos O'Kelly's. They sure don't have much on the menu for people who need bland, low-fiber food. I ordered El Pollo Asado. Didn't eat the "salad" [lettuce/tomato] and ate only half the Mexican rice since it's a bit spicy. The grilled chicken, tho., was moist & tender. [No problems afterward, if you get my meaning.] Great-aunt was totally surprised by the 30 people who broke into "Happy Birthday to you..." when she walked in the door. :-)

When I got home last evening, I watched the last period of the hockey match. Since the Avalanche aren't in the running, I really don't care who wins the Stanley cup. But, it's a long time till October, so I'll watch whatever game is on while I can.

During the hockey I finished Blue Stripes #1 [except for closing the toe - that will wait till I have two to Kitchener.] I'll do a little housework this a.m. and then CO for sock #2. Won't get as much done today as I'd hoped. I'll be picking up Buster about 3 p.m. His people are going camping again and he's not allowed. He's a risk-taking 23.5 month old who loves to run....

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Blue Stripes update


Slow going... working-for-pay and sleeping seem to get in the way of knitting. Darn. But, since this sock has been on the needle for ever so long [before surgery], I've taken a vow to Finish the pair in a week. [I think I can, I think I can....]
Scanned this -- the leg really isn't odd shaped - just squished under the lid. And that bit of rose colored yarn -- just a marker/reminder for when I finally get to sock #2.
Details posted on April 29. Addendum: switched to size 1 [US] after leg.

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Red Sox and Blue Socks

Last evening, just as I finished cooking supper [egg & potato scramble...no onions], DD1 phoned. She got off work early & ask if I wanted to go out to eat. Of course! [Last night's supper immediately became today's lunch.]

DD1 wanted to go to a sports bar...with her mother yet! There had been one only 1.5 miles away - we kept talking about stopping in there. But it closed several months ago. So we went to one about 8 miles away [next town west.] Oh. Right. It's Friday night. That's why there's no parking spot within five blocks. The sign outside flashed "Immediate Seating," but that seemed very doubtful. Drove to a smaller sports bar up the road and across the freeway. The parking lot was full...except for one spot where a car was backing up. Yippee!! Inside...smoky bar atmosphere. I don't do "bars" and I don't do "smoke." The hostess said the non-smoking section had a 30-45 minute wait, but she could get us in the smoking section immediately. Sure. I'm hungry.

DD1 used to work in sports bar in NC. That's where she became a baseball fan. A Red Sox fan to be precise. I didn't count all the TV screens, but the Yankees were on about 20 of them. [Why?] Other TVs were showing the Rockies [I'm so out of touch with them - they're strangers now!], Oakland, and another baseball game. About five screens had basketball. And one [a big one] had Hockey :-) DD1 checked the schedules on her cell phone and when the Red Sox-Twins game didn't come on, she asked that it be put on the TV closest to us. She was happy! I'm sure she would have rather stayed to watch the end of the Red Sox game, but when I got tired she drove me home.

So who did the Blue Socks play? Well, they are battling it out with each other for first place. Knit me, Knit me they yell from the bag. Earlier this week I decided to schedule the Blue Socks: Mother's Embossed Leaves [see April 29 post] on even days and the Blue Striped OPALs on odd days. That worked for about two days. It was an odd day - and I realized that I had frogged the heel flap on the Blue Stripes about five times -- and after the leg, switched from size 1.5 US to 1 US needles. I'm feeling like I'll never get this first sock done, let alone the second. SO... I'm going to go the distance, extra innings, [over time], whatever ...till I get the pair finished!

Sunday, April 29, 2007

A Lazy Summer Sunday & OTN Update

90 deg. F. and a cloudless sky. Beautiful :-) This is DD1's first spring in the Midwest since 2002 - she mentioned a few days ago that she forgot that we had just two days of Spring up here between Winter and Summer. Yep. That's about right. I was still running the furnace on Wednesday and needed the AC by yesterday [Saturday.]

Went to Mother's late yesterday afternoon to pick up Buster. Poor little fella had to stay with me overnight instead of going camping with his family. Maybe he can camp next summer... or the summer after. This was Sport's first adventure in a tent. He seemed to like it-- except when I asked if they cooked supper on the fire. He replied with a big sigh, "No. They didn't buy marshmallows."

DD2 & I had agreed on Mother's as the drop off/pick up spot for Buster because I was going up there anyway and she lives "sort of" half way between my place and where DD2 & family moved to last week. I wanted to have Mother try on the sock I'm knitting for her. [Yarn: KnitPicks' Essentials "Dusk"; pattern: Embossed Leaves from Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs.] The leg isn't stretchy like the ribbed legs I've done so far. And after I turned the heel on sock #1 I tried it on my foot. I can "just" get it on. I figured it would be OK for Mother since her feet are smaller than mine, but I wanted to be certain before I proceeded.

But, I forgot to take the unfinished sock along yesterday when I drove up there to get Buster. SO... I went again today. The sock fits. And, I've reinstalled Mahjong II on her computer again. [Have NO idea why it gets "lost"....]

On my way home I decided to shop for groceries. [Shouldn't do that on an empty stomach!] It was quite an ordeal because I tried to chose things that would be easy to fix and tasty, but easy on the innards. I started radiation on Wednesday and a week ago started adjusting my normal eating habits [spicy & full of fiber] to food that's not spicy or fiber-ish. Even with cutting back on the caffeine, spices [including black pepper], and fiber, I've still had side-effect issues. Already. I wasn't expecting that for a couple weeks. Dang.

I'll try not to complain here. But, I'll warn you. I'm a poor patient. I have a low discomfort threshold. Three down. 25 treatments to go. [I'm working 7 hours a day and taking an hour sick leave to go to the cancer treatment center.]

I do have a few "treats" to look forward to during May. I'm taking a personal day off on Thursday. I'm getting my hair cut and I promised Mother that I'd take her out to eat at her favorite Chinese restaurant. Guess I won't be getting my usual Kung Pao Chicken and Hot & Sour Soup.

Plus, I'm taking 5 days of vacation at the end of my treatment - and with the two weekends and Memorial Day I'll end up with 10 days off. Yippee!! I'll probably just sit & knit...and nap.

Finished the CIC Kids pullover. DD3 took digital photos yesterday - but needs to email them to me.

OTN 1: For Mother, first sock. Pattern: Embossed Leaves: from Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs; Yarn: KnitPicks' Essentials "Dusk"; needles: five dpns [US 2 ancient aluminum]

OTN 2: Blue stripes, first sock: Pattern: leg - k4, p1 rib Yarn: Opal Feelings #1703; needles: 5 dpns [US 1.5 bamboo]