Summer Fun

I'm one of those terrible, old-fashioned mothers who thinks children should be outside all day, every day when the weather permits. Today we decided we needed a princess tent, not the regular old real camping tent the older girls adore. What better to use than "fancy" sheets with eyelet edging over the clothesline with a few pins and props? I even let her have a comforter for "carpet". Nary a peep from the princess E since I proclaimed it finished. Well, except for "WOW, Mama. You are terrific."

Now maybe I can accomplish some sewing this afternoon.

ISO: A Series of Books

I've found that posting here things I'm looking for is a way to find them affordably, sometimes even by bartering. So going with previous successes, I'm searching for the Golden Nature Guide series along with the Golden Science Guides and the Golden Field Guides. I do NOT want new copies, thrift store finds would be swell. It seems our girls are really starting to take a more avid interest in nature and identifying things so a little investment will go a long way. I remember fondly my grandmother's copy of A Golden Guide to Birds or possibly the Golden Field Guide to Birds of North America with notations in her hand about birds she'd seen. I thought I had several of her copies but a search of our bookshelves revealed nothing. So, if anyone has some of these books about and wants to part with them or stumbles across any at a thrift shop, tag sale or whatever...let me know what you'd like in return. Postage+small price for book, a trade...???

In all, there are about 30 of these I'd like to find. The picture is an example of what the covers look like...the newer versions do not catch my eye like these older ones.

The List

I am a complusive list maker. Not that I can always lay my hands on it when I need it, but there is always a list in progress. A grocery list, a chore list, a book list, a WIP list. You get the idea. My father is the same way. I laugh to see him coming up the walk with his list in one hand, pencil in the other. He literally crosses things off as we go over them. And his list is literally an entire sheet of paper. Genetic?

Yesterday's list was a mish-mash of chores and to-do's. It went something like this:

Load GW stuff
Dust
Sweep
Scrub Kitchen sink
Scrub bathroom
gather library stuff
set up serger (borrowed from an aunt. Lord I miss owning one!)
cut out doll clothes
pick up pictures (errand for Dad)
clean out fridge
dishes
make applesauce (to use up apples about to go completely bad)
boil potatoes for casserole
make chilli
make muffins
finish doll legs
fry up turkey

The bold items are the ones I actually accomplished. I also shot the breeze with Dad and a couple of friends. I napped and read Ahab's Wife a bit.

On the list for today:
All the left-over things from yesterday plus laundry. We leave in something like 19 days for Michigan. Why is it that the to-do list grows so much before a trip? And the number of lists multiplies rapidly too! We've got a "must get" list, a grocery list, a packing list and a "we wanna do this with Gram" list. No wonder all I want to do once we get there is sleep. lol.

I LOVE cables

Finally a pair of grass green socks just for me! I am ashamed to admit how many times I've checked Sensational Socks out from our library (intralibrary loan no less!) without knitting a single sock. The first few times, I just couldn't understand the appeal of it to so many knitters. Cannot say that I really know what tripped my switch but I'm a convert now. I'm waiting patiently for the other SS books to become available through the library so I can check them out. It bites to live in a town without a bookstore.

Vital Stats for these lusicious green socks:

Pattern: 3x3 Cable with Moss Stitch from aforementioned book
Yarn: KP Palette in Grass. A note about this yarn: it can be splitty and isn't super soft but I bought it as a filler to get the free shipping last order. Depending on how it washes up, I'd probably use it again for my own personal socks just because it comes is so many colors, wonderfully shaded from light to dark.
Needles: Bamboo DPN, US 2.
I used the 68 stitch version of the pattern without knitting a swatch first. Why? Because I know in order to use my US2s, I typically cast on 52-56 stitches and cables pull in enough to likely taken in the "slack". My gamble paid off. These are just the perfect amount of tight-loose to be comfy and not leave a tourniquet mark at the end of the day.

Hubster told me he thought these were going to be the ugliest socks I'd ever knit when I started the first one. When I finished it, he declared it a keeper. I believe I'll be ordering some girly pink for E a pair at Christmas since she likes the cable action as well. And she could identify them as cables!

In other news:
Spent yesterday cutting out and stitching together some adorable Holly Hobbie dolls for 3 of my very favorite little girls in the world. (Hi, G&R!). The evening tv watching slot made quick work of stuffing 6 arms, 3 bodies and 2 legs. I have to finish sewing the remaining legs together today, then I will hunt up fabric from the stash for outfits. Their heads are made from children's socks which I keep forgetting to buy when I'm out. And I need to find a suitable yarn for their hair. I am tickled E wants her own HH doll but still loves mine. Poor old gal has had "surgery" to reattach every limb and her head at least twice. I believe she even had a hair replacement sometime in the late 70s. Well loved.

ETA: I usually steer away from politics(namely the war for oil issue) here but this young solider's blog is one of my new favorite reads. Go check out Jake's Life.

HSP Arrived

The mailman brought boxes yesterday. Stuff J ordered from Amazon earlier this week and a box for me from Becca containing my HSP'07 sock. Wildfoote yarn, which I haven't tried before, M&Ms, notepad, barretts for the little one and the pattern from Knitpicks (twisted sock, I think).

I have fulfilled my HSP obligations. I blogged about the sock I knit (well, once), I packed and shipped the box on time, kept in contact with my swappee and blogged about the box I received. It was NOT hard to do by any stretch, even on our fixed income. All together, I spent probably less than 8 hours on the entire project which included sewing a tote bag, tissue holder, zippered sock bag and eyeglass case as well as knitting the sock. Which took 3 tries to find the perfect pattern. Christy hosts an awesome swap and is a terrific lady.

Nothing Happening

There has been nothing really blogworthy for a while now. I knit the sock for HSP, packed my box and shipped it. It was received but not blogged about. I forgot to take pictures of everything because as usual, the batteries are missing for the camera. I thought it was a nice box, filled with goodies I'd like to receive. I've still not received my HSP box and it is now a full 12 days since hurricance season started. Not a single peep from my person about it either which is what really pisses me off. 2 months was plenty of time to throw stuff together, communicate with me and all that. So, HSP "pal" if you are reading this...sure hope you get the message.


In other events: STR Lightweight in "Scottish Highlands" that
Cynthia sent me for the last Yarn Aboard. I think I used my standard 2x2 rib, 54 stitch pattern but didn't make notes as this was therapy knitting from heaven. Cyn, thanks again for the swell box you and Ed put together for me! I truly enjoyed every single thing you sent and have used all the yarn now. (a pair of Trekking XXL for my "sister" in WA, a pair of Clessidra from the KP Bare and these to-die-for STR socks). STR is one of my favorite yarns now but not one I will probably buy for myself due to budget issues.




Two pairs of children's socks for the parish sock drive in the fall. My photographer used adult sock blockers for her photos but these really are for a child, about a shoe size 2. Both are knit from leftovers...the striped are KP Simple Stripes and a forgotten-brand blue for the heels while the pinks are from LL in Desert Rose (I think that's the colorway)











Of course, what is a post without a kiddo in it? The lovely Miss E showing her pattern and fabric choices for her first "real" sewing project. She wanted a "pj skirt" (don't ask, I don't know) so we set out to do just that. The fabric she picked was a Robert Kaufman (I think) print with slippers all over it...100% cotton. We used the gathered skirt directions from Kwik Sew's Sewing for Children book and bound the hem edge with deep purple bias in place of a true hem. E sewed the side seams and I finished off the casing, elastic and hem. Not bad for a 7.5 yo. She will not model it for me because she does not want it splattered across my blog. Her words, not mine.






And finally, to make my blogless "sister", Lynn, just faint...a shot of the melted wires to our hot water tank. Last week, I smelled something weird in the laundry room but could not locate the source right off. Just as I was about to walk out the door into the dining room, I saw a tiny wisp of smoke rising from the tank. A quick trip to the breaker box to trip the breaker, a screw driver and some fresh air later revealed this: This folks, is why wire nuts are to be tightened securely! The nut was not tight enough to start with and the washing machine vibrations worked it loose until we had a problem. Luckily, my father was able to repair things so we now have a safe hot water tank again. Which is shut off nightly at the breaker for my peace of mind now.