The Queen and I, and a Beatle

I figured if anyone read my meme [previous post] and got to #2, they'd say, "Yeah, right." Here's my proof. This was taken... um, a long time ago... as you can tell by the much younger Queen. There's Prince Philip next to her. And you can recognize Prince Charles' ear, I'm sure. Where am I? Well, look closely in the bottom right corner. You'll see an arm sticking out of a blue sleeve - you can't see my face, but it's behind the camera and both of my hands.

After seeing the royal family, my friends & I walked over to Paul's house. Paul McCartney, of course. That's me ringing the bell. The maid said he wasn't home. She didn't lie - 'cos he & Linda drove by us while we were walking over to Abbey Road studios. Paul must have known we were stalkers because two minutes later they drove by again--Thanks, Paul, it Was a Thrill!!

Tagged

I've been tagged by Kathy. [That's OK, we can still be friends :-)

Here's how to play...

1. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged write a blog post about their own 8 random things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog you need to tag 8 people and post their names

1. My weekend: In order to get ready for the next Harry Potter movie AND book 7, I’m going to watch [again] the four DVDs this weekend. I haven’t read book five, but will listen to it on cd while I knit next week!

2. I have a photo of myself with Queen Elizabeth.

3. I haven’t bought soap in several years. Not since I started making my own.

4. I’ve watched the original 14 videos [I think that’s the number] of the Sharpe’s Rifles series three times – and several of them four or five times. Love that Richard Sharpe.

5. One of my favorite vacations was a week-long rafting trip down the Green River in Utah through Desolation Canyon. Out of cell phone & radio range. WooHoo!

6. The first time I saw Gone With the Wind was in a theater [where smoking was allowed] in Wrexham, Wales.

7. I grew up living next door to my maternal grandparents – who lived next door to Grandma’s parents. Grandma often left a plate of cookies on her table and us kids would sneak in the house, grab a cookie & run back out to play in the big back yards. We thought she wouldn't know….

8. I can make pretty good fry bread. The dough MUST be fried in lard over a roaring fire. This works best outdoors! One of my kids’ favorite meals = Indian tacos.

Now I am supposed to tag 8 people. The only problem is that I don't think there are 8 people who check my blog with any regularity. So I looked back at comments on previous posts and came up with these bloggers: Rahime, Beth, Holly, Shelley, N. Maria, Becca. So, If you stop by again and haven't done one of these memes lately -- You're It! [There were a few other commenters, but I couldn't find their blog addresses.]

Half Done

1. with radiation - yippee! had #15 today, 13 remaining

2. with the Blue Stripes - I've completed about 4" of the leg on the second sock, but...I think I'm going to miss my "goal" of finishing the pair by tomorrow evening. Oh, well. Deadline is now moved to Saturday!

Gotta go knit!

Harry Potter (and knitting)

When DD1 [a Harry Potter fan from day 1] came home from work, she had me open her Mother's Day gift to me: Charmed Knits: Projects for Fans of Harry Potter ! Great book -- loads of sweaters, scarves, hats, mittens, wizards' robes, and more!

Thanks, DD1!!! Great addition to my knitting library!

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....

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.

Knitting Rules!

The book by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Knitting Rules! The Yarn Harlot Unravels the Mysteries of Swatching, Stashing, Ribbing & Rolling to Free Your Inner Knitter, arrived! A gift from my BFF Joanne.

I've read the first chapter so far. Luv it!

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!

Thursday Off

I took a "personal day" off from work on Thursday and it was a very productive day. For two days I had worked on a list of errands I needed/wanted done on Thursday...and I was amazed I got ALL 15 [count 'em: fifteen] things on my list done!

One of the reasons it took me two days to do the list is that I tried to write the list in order for the most fuel-efficient route. By the time I left the house about 10 a.m., I was quite pleased with the result. No back-tracking. Used the shortest routes between two points [not my favorite roads, and definitely not the smoothest - but the shortest driving distances.]

Half way through the list, I picked up Mother. We had lunch at her favorite Chinese restaurant. I usually order one of the spicy/hot dishes, but chose a milder one this time - Beef Mushroom. Also had the egg drop soup. Wow. Hadn't had EDS there in a long time as I usually have the Hot Sour Soup. I forgot how GOOD their egg drop soup is. DD1 says its the best she's ever had. I think so too!

After lunch we got our hair cut. Mother has been paying [still, after 40 years] $2.00 for a hair cut. But, the lady lives 45 miles away. Mother doesn't drive anymore, so she asked me to take a day off and take her up to Ruth's for a hair cut. I agreed to take the day off, but I was not driving 90 miles for a $2.00 hair cut. We went to my hair stylist and I paid for Mother's cut/style. A heck of a lot more than $2.00, but she was VERY pleased with the result.

More errands and I was back home by 4:10 p.m. - all missions accomplished. Also pleased with myself that between #14 and #15 [radiation] on my list - even though I had a half hour and *could* have gone home for a few minutes [it's only a mile away] - I sat in the CTC parking lot [with engine off] and balanced my checkbook. And cleaned out my purse. I had knitting with me, but figured I'd better not start or I'd loose track of the time. So I went inside and they were ready for me. Yippee!

It was also a good day because I finished the last two assignments for my grad class and got them emailed off at 9 a.m. -- one day before the deadline. Another Yippee!!!

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]

Kitchener Addendum and Rearranging Furniture

I have two pair of socks OTN now - but won't be ready to close the toes on either for ...days... yet. When I'm there I'll watch that video again. I also made notes on the steps & wrote them on a 4x6" file card. Then I taped it inside the lid of the little plastic box I use to tote around misc. knitting accessories - optimistic that I won't need to watch the video too many more times :-)

No knitting this a.m. I'm catching up on reading emails, but will wait till later to reply. I'm feeling rather perky this morning - and my house needs major dusting & vacuuming - so that's the project for after breakfast. DD2 & J. are nearly moved out of their apt. but need to finish the kitchen this morning. So they'll bring Sport & Buster over here while they do that. Hmm...maybe I can talk DD2 into bringing her digital camera [and whatever's needed to download photos to my computer!] While DD2 & J are here, I'm going to ask them to move the couch to another wall. It's a hide-a-bed, so I cannot [or should not, I suppose] do that by myself.

I inherited [from Mother] the gene that causes people to move furniture around frequently. One month, maybe two, is about all I can stand it before I have to rearrange again. But, my living room has been the same away since we set up the Christmas tree - ARGH - that was five months ago!! The tree was taken down three months ago but I wasn't feeling like rearranging furniture then.

BTW - I finished sleeve #1 on the CIC kid's sweater last evening while watching hockey.

Off the Needles! And Kitchenered, too!!

I've had these kids socks (for CIC project) completed for awhile excepted for closing the toes. When I got home today I decided that would be my project for the evening. I've tried the kitchener stitch several times (with light weight "sock yarn") but never have been happy with the results. I figured these socks in heavier yarn might be easier to practice on. I opened up the video from knittinghelp.com and watched it 5 or 6 times.

I'm happy to say - I'm happy with the results!!!

Yarn: Wool of the Andes worsted weight in Cranberry

Needles: size 4 [U.S] dpns

Pattern: "Swirling Confetti" Kids' Socks from a CIC list file

Another Friday Road Trip & OTN Update

Road trip tomorrow - again for work - this one a two hr drive away [but, I'm not driving.] Looking forward to this trip, too. But there won't be any shopping or sightseeing afterward.

I've been watching the Grandsons a lot this week while their folks work on packing and moving their belongings...35 miles away. Not too far I know. It could be a lot worse. But, they currently live just 2 miles away, so I'm used to seeing them nearly every day.

And since I have been busy with the boys - AND I'm now back to work full-time, I haven't been doing much knitting. No sock knitting at all. However, I finished the body of the sweater I'm knitting for CIC Orphan Knitting project ...it's a pattern that can be made as a vest 0r add sleeves for a sweater. I thought I'd do a vest, but I have plenty of yarn left over, so I've started a sleeve. I'm not going to do the pocket.
Needles: sizes 10.5 and 11 [US] circulars
Yarn: KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Bulky in Emerald & Taupe.

Friday Road Trip & OTN Update

Working part-time is going OK, but I've been taking afternoon naps. If the Dr. OKs my return to full-time on Monday, I'll miss those naps. Not really sure if I actually NEED the naps, or I just *think* I do....

Friday, however, I took a road trip! A co-worker & I went to a conference, but, it *was* a road trip! My C-W had never been to that city. What? How could that be? It's only 90 miles away. The conference got over at 3 p.m. and I was able to easily persuade C-W to do some sightseeing & shopping. [No yarn shops, tho. -- couldn't find any online info on any possibilities.]

Had a good time sightseeing - including a cable car ride :-) & a visit to a marvelous toy store, a bead shop [C-W says the prices were much better than here in town], an Irish shop [I bought a box of Barry's Gold Blend Tea], and an English import shop [where I bought my all-time favorite Yorkshire Tea.]

OTN Update:
1. a pair kids socks for CIC - just need to finish the toes
2. socks for Mother...nearly finished with first leg
3. oops - side tracked -- I have 9.5 inches completed on the body a "child size 4" pullover
4. Opal Feeling socks - on hold for now

Photos later...

Back to Work

Maybe I'm not as recovered from my surgery as I thought. I worked from 8:00 a.m. - Noon. And I slept from about 1:30 - 3:11 p.m. I would have slept longer, but DD2 arrived with the boys. They were only here about an hour before the mama came back for them.

The weather is still unseasonably cool, but the sun was warm. [Oh, and the humidity was a perfect 20% -- just like back home in The West.] The boys brought bottles of bubbles, so we sat on the front steps and blew bubbles. Well, Sport did. He's a pro at it. But, Buster had shaken his bottle so much that the wand was full of tiny bubbles - not blowable. I guess Buster got bored with chasing his brother's bubbles and high-tailed it around the corner of the house.

I'm not ready to run. But run I did...that short, chubby fellow can Move! Then they played on the slide out back...until Buster decided to bounce a big ball on the empty parking lot behind my house. OK. We can do this. Bounce the ball. Toss it back and forth. Coax Buster to come back closer. Play "soccer" with Sport.

Of course, they didn't want to go back in the house when I was ready. Do you want juice? No. How about hot chocolate? Yes! Sport likes to hold the glass with the "hot" water while I stir in the powdered mix. He loves "Grandma's hot chocolate." Poor kid...someday I'll have to make him Real Hot Cocoa.

OTN update 1: Ribbing for sock #2 for a CIC kid's sock. [I joined the CIC knitting list recently. Still waiting to hear what the new challenge will be.] Yarn: Wool of the Andes worsted weight in Cranberry, needles: size 4 [U.S], pattern: "Swirling Confetti" Kids' Socks from the CIC group file [I think.]

OTN update 2: The blue striped OPAL "Feelings #1703" is on hold for now. Leg for sock #1 is completed.

OTN update 3: Belated birthday socks for mother. She's always said that she doesn't like blue. But, she picked out KnitPicks' Essentials "Dusk" - it's definitely a denim color. But, that's OK. She wants them to wear with blue jeans. [Mother is 79, by the way.] Since the yarn is a solid, I offered to do a pattern from my [very own] Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs. I was thinking of the Uptown Boot Socks, but when I showed Mother the book, she said she'd rather have the Embossed Leaves. So...that's what I'm doing. When DD3 was here yesterday, she took a digital photo of the few inches of pattern that I had completed at that time. I'll add the photo when she emails it to me.