Short Update

Well I love my IPOD and I love the knitting podcasts that are out there and available. I started with Brenda Dayne at www.cast-on.com and now I can't stop. I have down loaded all of the past episodes and don't have enough room left of my podcast until I listen to some and delete them from the IPOD. But that wasn't enough I greedily seached Itunes and downloaded all the knitting podcasts out there and all their past episodes as well. I listen everywhere now. In the house while doing housework, in the car while driving to work (is it even legal?), walking from the parking lot into the building, (I usually take one earpiece out of my ear if an employee stops and asks me something...just because I was raised "right"!) etc. etc. The dogs have never been happier, I just want to walk and walk and listen. A friend even asked me if I wanted to start walking with her on Monday and I had to explain that I got a new IPOD and wasn't capable of conversation right now! It was a perfect gift for me. I love it. Thanks John!

Lets see. What is on the needles. I'm in a strange phase right now. I have no desire to finish anything. I just want to start stuff. I'm amazed at how easily I get bored. I've been doing small baby things, knit all in one piece etc, but still have to convince myself to complete each one.

This is a little blue set. Done out of beautiful yarn. Naturally "Sensation" wool and angora. I was hoping new baby would come home from the hospital in this. Well at least wear the hat.Its wonderfully soft and baby like. I don't know what the deal is with my pictures this week. They have imported strangely and I've had to "size" them myself so everything may look a bit stretched. (It isn't my knitting .... honest!;))

I know that it must seem odd that I am blogging again...already, but I think I'm on to something; Last weekI brought my IPOD into work and used the high speed internet and my lap top to download podcasts and I was amazed at how quickly everything went. I spent hours at home last weekend down loading Podcasts (only a couple, but it took hours) and when I came to work on Monday had everything I wanted downloaded in minutes. So this AM I thought well hey....its an overtime day at work, what better way to use my time then to update my blog. So I quickly took some pictures at 5:30 this AM and this is what you are getting now.

So lets see. Here is a pic of the Hat and booties I made while at the car show a few weeks ago. And another hat just for in the nursery. I know its navy and probably to dark for a newborn, but it is what I had at hand and wanted something quick. (Remember I can't finish anything lately and need small, simple projects. When in Chase for the Carshow I was able to go to go into Kamloops to a yarn store and pick up some new yarn for Mom's cabled sweater I also bought some Regia Silk and have decided to make a hot water bottle cover from it. Do I need a silk hot water bottle cover would be the question, especially when I sleep with a heat generator, AKA John, but i just didn't "feel" like making socks with it. So here it is. Started.

I was also able to complete the hood for "Ruby" sweater from Bee's Knees. I didn't show this last week as I had truly thought that i would wait until it was actually finished. But I don't know if that will ever happen so I thought I'd show you the progress.

I did knit another dishcloth. This was the first of the month "mystery cloth". Its a cat. The picture isn't overly clear and probably would have been better if done in a solid color. But you'll be seeing lots of dishcloths in this yarn as I have a huge ball of it and am in dishcloth mode.

I also got another ball of C-eye-ber fiber in the mail. I think this is part of a "Sock Club" I belong to and this is their havest colorway. I think I get two more balls in this club and then that will be it. I don't think I'll join again. Not for any other reason other then I have yards and yards of their sock yarn and haven't knit one darn thing from it. Its for no other reason then I'm not sure if i like colorways. I have one that is pale greens, one that is pale blues, and one that has pale purples. Each skein is approx. 400 yds so I know I'd have enough to make something for baby but I just don't feel it yet. You know as I was typing this I was think I could make the "Big Bad Baby Blanket" out of it. Maybe I'll try that. I don't have a baby blanket for new little one yet. I've been putting it off as I don't want to work with acrylic's but haven't found a suitable superwash wool yet. Plus I've been trying to use my stash and not spend so much$$$.

I guess that is it for now. I'm back to my desk and to reality.

Once a Month

Well I guess I'm down to blogging once a month. I thought I would do it more often, but...I am on dial up. We just got off Party lines a few years ago so I don't know if our small town will ever have high speed! But this is good relaxing time. I'll make a pot of coffee, have a dishcloth on the needles and we'll call it relaxing while I wait to download my new pictures.

So we went to the car show. Here is the 57 Monarch we took.

But here is the one we liked. The owner actually made his little sleeper.

The weather was fantastic, the company better, and the hotel to die for. We had a great time. (I made booties and the Tree Elf Hat for Grandbaby). I was able to get away on Saturday afternoon for a couple of hours and picked up new yarn for my mother's request for a red cabled sweater. I chose Peer Gynt in this red (she asked for Tomato red..I hope this is it) and I'm using size 3.5 mm. This project has caused some difficulties for me as I wasn't able to find the pattern I really liked. I wanted to do it all in the round with lots of fabulous cables, but eventually I realized I wasn't going to find it and have created my own pattern. Its fun and believe it or not quite relaxing to knit. This is the second attempt. I started one a while back with Knitpicks Wool of the Andes, but found the yarn to heavy for what I wanted to make. So hopefully this one will pass the test. I've got too much "fun" stuff to do so I can't be bothered doing something I don't like. Of course everything is difficult now as the light bulb from my ott light has gotten broken ("Mom, the dog knocked over your ott light!") and we had to order another from Ontario. So at night when I am knitting cables, or knitting amethyst lace and my eyeballs are bugging out of my head and I'm leaning forward off the couch into the light..I can have the tendency to be a little cranky!

I've been busy with work. Getting the Employee and Family Assistance Program set up and meeting with all the employees about it. I'm helping to organize this year's Mine Rescue Competition (to be held in Williams Lake, June 7, 8 9 2007...Shameless self promotion), and I just got word that I can take some on-line courses towards my Certification for Human Resources and Labour Relations. (Paid by the company) So that is good news, I'm excited but I'll have to work! And of course, boys, girls (goes without saying when you have boys around) babies (no, no grandbaby yet, but soon) dogs, and husband.

I've joined yet another group. This time the monthly KAL for Dishcloths. (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MonthlyDishcloths) So nice to have mindless knitting on the needles as well. For those time when I have a chatty husband around or we are travelling into town for groceries etc and there is so much to see. The leaves are changing, the deer are gathering for the rut, the salmon are spawning and the bears are feeding, the swans and geese are migrating. I don't want to miss any of it. Or drop a stitch. So you can see where the lowly dishcloth comes in handy.I've made two, out of stuff I had about, but there are so many nice patterns in the group files, I can see I'll have to buy a ball or two of new stuff in the "right colors". I HAVE to. Who can resist an orange pumpkin dishcloth this close to Halloween?

So my darling husband does listen! Look at what I got. Yes its an IPOD so I can download all the knitting podcasts I want and still walk the dogs. Of course don't even try calling this house as the phone line will be busy as i download hours of info. I'm thinking I'll take the ipod to work and use the laptop and the company's satellite to make short work of it. But I can't wait until Monday.

Of course a new IPOD called for a new IPOD sweater and I quickly whipped this up on my first walk while listening to the lasted PODCAST of Cast-on. (www.cast-on.com) Ain't technology great! I'll have to make a cord for it so I can hang it around my neck while walking.

Late last night....(11ish?) I decided I had to make two socks at once and cast on with some lovely hand painted Lisa Souza. Here they are. Its fun so far, although I'm sure the novelty will wear off eventually. Yes they are two different colors, but I didn't want to get confused my first time out. (and yes they are in baby size). I guess doing them in two different colors really doesn't help the SSS (second sock syndrome) but its good practice for me.

And of course a lovely little "chunky baby sweater" from www.sweaterbabe.com for the new'un. I chose Limeade, (Lambs Pride Bulky) because I thought it would be fun. (For me, of course) Exact reason why I chose the chunky knit. One can only knit tiny baby things at a tiny gauge for so long. And since my backside was making a dent in the couch I had to do something fast!

Lastly here is a pic of our house with the new deck. Husband is finished vacation and has headed back to work. It was a long 21 days off. I got up every morning while he lie sleeping. It was difficult especially now that it is dark in the mornings. But he is back to work and I still have 160 hours of vacation remaining! Ha!

For Patricia: we just bought a new light for the front door so that white one is GOING! Today!