Upping the frequency

 If I post more frequently to a blog that no one reads, does it really matter?

I will feel better about it at any rate.

The water hyacinth continues to bloom and is entirely pleasing.  I am still taking pictures of the flowers, but not as frequently.  I had been thinking that it had plenty of water with all the rain we've had recently.  However, when I was out back to check some breakers, I noticed that the water was pretty low.  It's been filled up now and I know to check it every so often.

Other excitement... Smallest finished the college applications that were due for Nov 1.  This involved filming dance videos and then editing them into longer videos and videos of different combinations.  She had to do some of this for an application due Oct 15 and had a terrible time with editing software while at her dad's house.  Luckily for her, this time she was at our house.  I helped her with the filming and once she selected the videos she liked, I did all the editing.  iMovie for the win!  There were some short sleep nights, as the musical was still going on, but she's been a trooper.  The Oct 15 deadline school has invited her for an audition, and one of the other schools has admitted her but she's waiting to hear about a dance audition.  There are some reach schools in NYC that I'm sure she's anxious to hear from too.  One of the other schools has a regional audition this coming Sunday, so we are driving up to Memphis for some dance fun!  Paar-taay!  I am glad we are close enough to drive.  Flying seems so crazy these days with flights getting canceled all over the place.  There weren't any flights back to Houston Sunday afternoon, so we decided to drive.  It should be fun.  Only about 8 hours.

I've started on some Xmas knitting.  Socks for Middle.  They mentioned that they liked tiger stripes last year at some point and about a week after that, this yarn appeared in an email newsletter so it seemed like destiny to me!  I'm knitting Vanilla is the New Black because the heel is cool and something I haven't done before.  After those are done, I've started a sweater for Smallest.

We've made progress with my in-law's house.  We've removed everything that's going, except for some furniture for Jeff's brother.  Now it's time to get the estate sale moving!  There was a lot of stuff.  Oof.  There's been a lot dealing with Jeff's mom and her insurance.  Medicare is complicated!  I think we have everything sorted now.  We will see.  I did take her to the dentist this week.  Turns out she hadn't been in four years, so it was good that we took her.  Apparently she doesn't really like going to the dentist.  However, she _does_ like going on outings, so that was more important than where she was going.  We got tacos for lunch afterwards and that was a nice perk too.  She is starting to lose more of her words though, which is sad.  

That's about it for now.  I made a top for Smallest last night.  I'll see if I can get her to send me pictures of her in it at a party tonight and then I'll relate the story soon.  Off to Memphis tomorrow.

Margie

Forbidden

 Oh my, it's been a while!  Shame on me.

We are back from Spain, stepdaughter has gotten married and started law school.  Sadly, while we were in Spain, initial tests suggested that Jeff's dad had some sort of abdominal cancer.  It turned out to be pancreatic cancer, and he passed away just a month after those initial tests. We have been trying to catch up on everything since then.  We also had to put our dog to sleep the week before my father-in-law's memorial service.  It's been non-stop fun over here.

As we've been cleaning out their house, preparing it for whatever we decide in the future, I was able to acquire something that I've admired for many years.  Jeff's mom is/was an avid gardener, and has many wonderful plants.  We re-homed her ginormous fiddle leaf fig tree to a friend's office, other plants have gone to be with other family members, but the one I wanted is apparently highly illegal.

Here we have water hyacinth.  It is highly invasive, will spread to cover the surface of any water supply it is exposed to, and has truly lovely blooms.  It's happily sitting in a plastic container on our back porch now, and with replenished water rewarded me with a bloom two days ago.  It survived our freeze back in February, and it will remind me of my mother-in-law every time I see it.  

In other news, I had a EMG test to determine what was going on with my neck/shoulder pain and it looks like it's a pinched nerve.  I get to have an MRI to see what's going on in there, and I'm continuing with physical therapy.  The PT has been so helpful in increasing my range of motion.  Good stuff.

I'm also back to knitting, as of yesterday.  I've been doing some cross stitch in between.  The test ruled out carpal tunnel, which I had secretly worried about, so I figure it's time to knit again!  I have a sweater to make for Smallest, and some socks for Middle.  The Boy doesn't seem concerned about knitted things, so I'm not too worried about him.  He also tends to run hot, so he might not need anything either.

Perhaps I should set a regular posting day...

Margie

Found!

 I have a small project bag that's perfect for socks, and I usually have socks-in-progress in there so that I can grab the bag and have it with me anywhere I'm going that I'll have to wait (doctor, car repair, kids' lessons, etc.)  Well, I was packing for a trip recently and realized I couldn't find my little bag!  Crisis!  I was also bummed because I had some of my favorite DPNs in there, and stitch markers, and I was getting close to finishing sock #1 of the pair that was being made with some souvenir yarn from a pattern that I was a tester for, so clearly I needed to find it!

I was worried that I had left it in a public place, and was mentally preparing myself for a permanent loss.  I've been back from the trip for many days and have looked around the house with no success.  Then (you know it's coming!) I took a different car to run an errand.  We have more cars than drivers right now, and I had taken the car in question in for service before I left on my trip.  When I returned from my errand, I checked the back seat to see what else needed to come inside and there, creeping under the driver's seat, was my bag!  Hooray for the bag!  I am happy to have it back.

My recent trip was to take Smallest to a ballet program in New York.  We took a week beforehand to look at colleges in the area.  We had a nice time and I thoroughly exposed her to the NY transit system, as we didn't rent a car.  That has paid off, as she's now scooting about NY with friends from the dance program.  Good stuff.

I haven't been doing much knitting lately, as my shoulder/arm discomfort isn't totally resolved.  We are heading to Spain for my older stepdaughter's wedding, so I feel like I should bring something more than a sock to work on.  I have plans for some yarn, so perhaps I can swatch/start on the shawls before we leave. I need to do some serious sleeping on the plane over, but I should have some time to work on it while we're there.  Things to think about!

Margie

Sooo behind!

 I had such good intentions of posting more often.  I will try to do better.

Currently I have been knitting and unknitting a shawl.  I started it, decided it wasn't going to use up enough yarn, unknit a bit, started making it bigger and got close to finishing before I decided I had made it too big, so I had to go back and make it closer to the proper size.  Ah well.  It's the Livie shawl.  Here's a piece of it from the first knitting.

Other things... I finished the scarf for Jeff's brother and a cowl for brother's wife, those were Christmas presents.  They were well received.  I did finish the cowl for other brother's wife, but we didn't see her at Xmas, so I don't know if she liked it or not.  I don't know if I have a picture of it either.  Hmmm.  

The I Want You shawl lays nicely after blocking and I wore it a lot while it was cold here.  We had a small cold snap in Texas this February.  You might have heard about it.

I finished leg warmers for Smallest.  She happily wore them to her ballet competition this past weekend.  That reminds me that I need to put some elastic in them before the ballet competition this coming weekend!  No picture of those.

Oh!  I made Smallest's ballet costume.  She gets lots of compliments on it.  I am pleased.  I didn't make the actual tutu, but I made the part that goes on top.

I forgot that I made two sweaters also!  Another Flax Light for my friend's son.  Apparently the son really loves the colors in the sweater and it's big enough that it should last at least through the fall.  He is growing fast!  I also made Middle a sweater.  This one is the Homebody.  It's just a plain sweater.  It turned out well.  I would make it again.  Middle claims to like it.  I have no idea if it's actually being worn or not.  Same thing with the other two I made.  

Last are some socks.  I finished the Speckled Space Socks, and they have been claimed by Smallest.  I like them, and would make another pair.  I also had the fun of participating in a test knit!  I had to knit a sock in a week.  It wasn't too hard, but I was nervous about making it look good.  I started in a blue yarn, but it was hard to see the pattern, so I switched to a purple.  I'll undo the purple because I have other plans for that purple, but I will finish the blue because it was such a nice squishy sock!  It was the Dots and Lines from this set of three.

Lots more than I thought I did!  I have a couple more shawls to work on once I finally finish the reknitting of the current one.  I think this time will be the last time.  I'm going to mostly follow the directions.

I think that's it.  We're about to spend a week out of town for Jeff to learn how to make Prarie style stained glass, so I should have plenty of knitting time while he's playing.  I will also be working remotely, but there will still be knitting time.

Margie

Catching up on pictures

 I took some pictures the other day of the things I'm working on.

I finished the fourth Xmas sock and have proceeded to start on a Honey cowl for my S-I-L.  I had shown her the waffle cowl that I made for Middle, but she wants Packers' colors, and I just didn't think that would be a good combination, so I've opted for a Honey cowl instead.  I'm maybe 2/3 through the first skein after casting on at some point Tuesday (I think Tuesday?).  I also got yarn to make one for my other S-I-L, but I think I might make a Riverbank instead, or maybe something with a lace stitch.  Hmmm... things to think about.

That's the only active project.  The Hue shift blanket is waiting until all these projects are done.  There's a growing list of post-xmas projects, so that will be fun!

On to the pictures!

These are the socks for Sarah and her fiancée.  He has pretty long feet.  It was tricky not being able to try them on him during the process, but I got The Boy and Jeff to test them out for me instead.

This is the pre-blocked I want you.  The edge is pretty curled up and it's not laying flat very nicely.  I think a bath will help it a bunch.  I've been wearing it some, so I haven't blocked it yet, but perhaps this weekend I can get that done.

This is the beginning of the Green Bay Packers Honey cowl.  I've decided to make the first half green and the second half yellow.  I was thinking initially of having the yellow in between green, but I think the other way will be better.

That's all I've got for now.  We're heading out in a bit to pick up stuff from Jeff's parents.  We're moving his mom to a memory care place tomorrow, so we're sneaking in to get some of her stuff.  She tells him all the time that she wants to leave and live somewhere else, that she doesn't feel safe in the house, but we're still not sure that she's going to be excited about the change.  Her memory has really declined in the last month, and it's no longer safe for her to be at home, so this is where we are.

Happy Election Week!

Margie

Impending Doom

 Well, tomorrow is election day.  This is only the ninth presidential election that I've been able to vote in, and I think I missed my first one, in 1988, because I was away at school and hadn't figured that out.  I don't remember any of the other elections feeling so stressful.  Things are a mess right now!

So, what better to do than vote and knit.  (and work too) I voted early about two weeks ago, so that's great.  I made sure my son voted, and my other eligible child has voted absentee.  

Knitting... I am finishing the toe on the last Xmas sock for stepdaughter and fiancée, so it's on to other projects now.  I'm going to make Honey Cowls for both sisters-in-law, one in a pretty blue, and one in Green Bay Packers colors.  They are who they are.  I still need to finish the scarf I started last year.  I'm over halfway, and I am hopeful that I can get it done in time.  I still have six weeks, right?

After that, I have a second Carbeth to make for Smallest, who really likes mine.  A yarn store near San Antonio advertised a sale on Shibui Drift (35% off!) so I had Smallest pick out a color she likes and I'll get that done soon.  I'll also get the other sweater done for Middle.  I finished Glenmore before they headed off for school, and now Homebody is waiting to be completed.  I think that one might be able to wait until Xmas break, but we'll see how Xmas projects progress.  

I did actually pick up a pair of reading glasses a while ago, but haven't sat down to work on the bug.  Something else to do soon too.  I had my eyes checked recently and did pick up glasses for the computer.  They have a blue-light coating, and a little magnification which is nice for all the time I spend on the computer now.  

It occurs to me that I should also go back to the original blog list of projects and see what I need to complete from that list.  I know there's the Xmas tree skirt, and I think a labyrinth cross stitch?  Ah yes, I'm looking at it now.  Catherine has graciously told me not to make her a quilt.  The other projects are still lurking in the downstairs closet.  I bet I can knock out the quilt and the pillow quickly.  The top for the quilt is pieced, I just need to sandwich it and quilt it.  The pillow is also pieced and needs quilting and pillow-i-fying, which also shouldn't take long.  

I did finish the I Want You shawl.  It's not as large as I was hoping, but it's cosy around my neck.  It needs a before picture and a bath for blocking, but I'll wait and put it in with all the socks once they're done.

I did finish the first Fen dress.  It is cute, and I want to make some modifications to the pattern for the second one.

I'll try to get some pictures of some/all these things for the next post!

Margie

I Don't Feel Tardy

Well, I was trying to post more often and look where that got me!

A tip of the hat to Eddie Van Halen who died last week.  Most of the more important social happenings of my high school days had VH music as the soundtrack, so I was sad to hear the news.  

Anyhow, on to projects.

I unraveled the Metronome shawl.  I think I mentioned that earlier?  I'll get around to that at some point.  I do have some Shelter in off-white that was going to be a sweater for Jeff, but he runs hot, so there would be about two days a year he could wear a wool sweater in Houston.  I'm testing three different cotton yarns as contenders for his sweater.

My older stepdaughter is engaged and has asked for Christmas socks for her and her fiancee.  Yay!  I have almost finished the first (smaller) pair.  This is a picture I was using for reference for the heel flap, but you can see the colorway.

I forgot!  I finished the Carbeth cardigan!  Here it is.  I love it.  I put the buttons on this past week.  I think it fits Smallest better than me, but we can share.  If I lose my Covid 15, it will fit me better too!

I've been working on a scarf for Jeff's brother when we go to watch online church with his parents.  I'm halfway now, which isn't great, but there is hope for the end.  It just takes time!  His wife would like something in Green Bay Packers colors, so I need to get on with that too!

I did start on the I Want You shawl.  I thought I had enough yarn (400 yds) for the large size, but I ran out right before getting to the lace edging.  Initially, I thought about using another color to finish, and did get some other yarn, but I don't like it, so I've ripped back to the row for the small size and we'll see how far I can get.  It's a little over halfway through the available yarn, so fingers crossed!

I have been doing more sewing.  I'm making a ballet costume for Smallest for her YAGP performance.  We are also ordering a tutu from Japan, and then we'll decorate it once it gets here.  It has been fun to work on.  I've also made a nightgown from Dress No. 1 from 100 Acts of Sewing, and I've just today finished a Fen dress from Fancy Tiger Crafts.  I have patterns to make a shirt from 100 Acts, and fabric to make another Fen.  The fabric has owls on it, which is always cool for Rice grads.  I mis-read the pattern instructions, so I got less fabric than I was supposed to, but it was enough to make the first dress and I got a little more for the owl dress, so all should be well.  I'll post some pictures later.

One last picture - I've been working on a Mitered Square blanket (kit from Knit Picks) for a while now and have passed the halfway point on that too.  It's my TV project.  Here's a peek at it.  It's large enough now that I can spread it on my lap for the cat to sleep on while I work.  She approves.

That's it for now.  I'll try to get pictures of the works in process.  I did pick up some reading glasses at the drugstore, so I should really finish the bug x-stitch!

Margie