More Knitting Woes

I have always wanted to knit an Aran blanket. However, its daunting: all those patterns, all that yardage. Lo and behold, I found a pattern for a baby Aran blanket, which seemed doable. Not so big you can't bring it around with you, not something that needs arms, buttons or that really needs to fit anybody. So I get the book, the yarn and the round needles. Problem #1. The book only lists how each pattern works, but doesn't spell out how each row is supposed to be knitted to make the row linking all these patterns together. So I dutifully translated wide cable, narrow cable, moss stitch, double moss stitch and others into the series of knits and purls you need to do to create the actual how-to instructions. Then I picked up my needles, cast on 174 stitches, knit 8 rows of not-so-great moss stitch (some turned into ribbing, but I wasn't going to tear it out - laziness, I know), and then got into the pattern. Problem #2. I left off a big chunk of one of the repeats while translating, so I had 40 extra stitches at the end of the row. Rip, rip, re-translate. Try again. Problem #3. Read pattern wrong. Threw project into kitchen, narrowly missing the cat food. Rip, rip (hip knitters call this frogging -- rip it, rip it...). Solution #1. Abort project as even if I could get it under control, it took more than 1/2 hour per row and my train ride is only 1/2 hour, and that is my designated knitting time. I'd finish 1.5 rows per day at that rate, which really wouldn't get me anywhere quickly. Not to mention that with all those patterns going on you need to check off progress on a graph or something and there isn't really a lot of room on the train to set up shop. So now, I'm happily working on another blanket with really thick yarn, really thick needles and only 100 stitches per row. I simple cable of my own design in the center of the blanket. I'm much happier, although I still do have Aran envy.

Clear and Calm

Tomorrow brings snow, and its unclear how much. The news stations have stopped predicting amounts, which brings out my cynical side. Yesterday it was 8-12" in our area, now they're zipping their lips. I wonder if its all going to go wide and hit the ocean instead of land. That's fine by me. I'm not a huge snow fan (although its pretty at first), and I really hate that stage when it just looks grey and dirty. Bring on spring!

We went to a fabulous Olympics opening ceremony party last night chez Gemma and David. Outside was the Olympic flag, some skis parked in the bushes and a pair of skates slung from the plant hook. Upon entrance you had to go to the processing center, where David took your photo for the all-access pass that allowed you into the rest of the event. Then Gemma bestowed an official US team pin. All snacks had a related name: Kwan Kwab Dip (kwab = crab -- I didn't figure that out on my own, sad to say. I'm not my sharpest on Friday nights), Tomba Trifle, Tara Lipinsky Pigs in Blankets, Cor-Ohno beer, Torino Vino, Czeck Mix, and other delectables. We brought Kwan Give It Up and Let Someone Under Age 65 and Who Earned a Spot on the Team Try for a Gold Medal Party Dip. Later on was an Olympic trivia contest, with correct answers earning gold medals. Now I know why the Skeleton is called the Skeleton: the first sleds for the sport resembled, you guessed it, skeletons! The background entertainment was of course the opening ceremonies. A number of women in attendance are going to shop EBay for the mountain dresses worn by the country sign carriers.

I much enjoyed the Grammy ceremonies earlier this week. Madonna was great, U2 was great, Ellen DeGeneres was great. Lots of big entertainment this week - Superbowl, Grammies, Olympics. Its a TV watcher's paradise. I am glad we don't have Tivo because all I would do is watch, watch, watch including a guilty pleasure: the first 15 minutes of Regis & Kelly. Did everyone enjoy the Leonard Nimoy ad for Aleve as much as I did?

Food for Thought

I'm writing this with one eye on the Grammy green carpet show on E!. It's a little dull without Joan Rivers' fashion critique. In fact, I think I'll change channels and promise myself to watch the wrap-up tomorrow. I love that part of award show season. Of course, the Academy Awards are the best, but the Grammy fashion is a lot different and more fun. A lot different?

Tomorrow we are going to help out at Bread of Life, a soup kitchen that our church supports. Our group's slot is the second Thursday every other month. Got that? It took me a moment or two to churn that into something that made sense. In cold weather we make shepherd's pie, which is very busy to prepare and then a lot of downtime while it bakes in the grimy oven. In the summer, its turkey with lettuce & tomato on a bulkie, potato salad and I think coleslaw. Its been over a year since I've been -- thanks to the job from hell of course. I'm really looking forward to going tomorrow. Dinner is served every night, and its always well attended. The guests are not always without homes, but they are definitely without the means to enjoy a meal every night. One well-dressed man arrives daily in his Cadillac, hungry for human contact. Another brings his 4 kids on his way home from work, before they go home to their apartment for the night. I don't know anything about the kids' mother, but you know its not a pretty story. He is a nice person and is good to his kids. Sometimes there are clothes for people to take if they need them. It is always a humbling experience.

Almost Groundhog Day

I know its been a very, very warm January so why am I still freezing? I've been cold for about 13 hours today. Really. Today is February! Which means spring really is coming. I'm looking forward to seeing the blooming zillion bulbs I planted in the fall. Last year was our first spring without Rocky & Adrienne, and one of the thousands of points of light they provided in our lives was to keep the deer out of the yard. We didn't realize that they did it; it must have been their scent in the yard as they certainly didn't encounter any deer in person (pretty much only canada geese). Anyway, last spring ALL of our daffodils and tulips were chomped just before the buds opened. This year I am very prepared. The spray container is ready to go, full of the rotten egg & garlic mixture we got at the garden center. It smells so awful that it makes your eyes water, but people can't tell after about 3 days. This is war. What can I say. And no one gets hurt. I really should send a pizza to the neighbors though.

I haven't written much about our pal, Max, yet. He's our beautiful wonderful kitty who we love. He's all gray with golden eyes and a very subtley striped tail, a la racoon. Max is 8 and has been with us for a year. We were lucky enough to get him from Tim's sister, Kelly, whose new puppy was tormenting Max. This is Max's first experience with people who love him and with being the only, and he is just so diggin' all of it. He does like to visit us in the middle of the night, which is his only drawback. Neither of us have the heart to give him the boot, so we just pat him until he's satisfied and falls to sleep. That's him sleeping, not necessarily us.