Knitter in Progress

Week 9 and it's almost March--can you believe it!?!? We are getting there. Now the rest of you need to finish--no more jumping ship! You've made it over the hump and it's time to coast to the finish!! Congrats to all of our Olympic finishers! I am so impressed that you all took that on! So what's the next crazy deadline event going to be? I need opinions--I'm sure that you all know that Blue Moon Fiber Arts(of Socks that Rock fame) will be starting a sock club. I know we have Stashalongers who belong to the Debbie Bliss and Rowan clubs. There is some interest from different members in joining the STR club(myself included). I don't think it should result in Stashalong disqualification--mostly because the packages don't even ship until mid-March which means you may not even receive them before the end of the month. What does everyone think? I'll go with the majority on this one--I haven't caved and joined yet, but the temptation is definitely...

I have been thinking about time recently. When I was single I thought I didn't have enough time to do the things I wanted to do(I let trivial things get in the way), when I first got married I thought I didn't have enough time to do the things I wanted to do(working full time plus learning the whole "share your life with another person" thing was a challenge), then I had kids--now I REALLY know what it's like not to have enough time to do the things I want to do(and I'm sure it will be even worse once I go back to work). I need more time in the day--at least 6 more hours(preferably daylight hours). I love to knit, stitch, read, and exercise. Right now exercise has taken a good chunk out of my daily "free time" because I have to lose 20 pounds in order to help my BP and I am not naive enough to believe that I'll be able to stop exercising after I lose that weight(how will it stay off if I quit?), plus I really enjoy it(although not in the large...

Stashalongers:pat yourselves on the back--you are more than halfway done with this torturous marathon that is Stashalong :) March is just around the corner and you can see the end(seriously--it's that little dot of yarny goodness on the horizon!). Now onto a moment of silence for three of our number who have been called to that horizon a little early. The siren call of yummy yarn is just too much to resist sometimes. Thanks for playing along for as long as you could: Liz Mary Michelle Onto our Week 8 updates: Kim : What have I accomplished this week? Well, I deleted half my template the other night---in a colossal accident--and spent 3+ hours getting it back to what you see right now. If your link is messed up let me know. I'll gradually be getting my buttons back up. You want to know what I accomplished knitting wise, right? I finished Little Diva's sweater and I finished the colored part of my sweetheart hat(now I just need to finish the lining). I picked out my...

Thanks for all your well wishes and good thoughts--I think Hanne is right, maybe this yarn diet is giving me high blood pressure ;) The Verdict: Okay, my BP is down a little from Tuesday, but not enough so the doctor wants me on meds. Here's my problem with that, I think that I should be able to try diet, exercise, and monitoring of my BP for at least a month before I start taking these pills which have a TON of negative side effects. I bought a monitor yesterday while I was getting my prescription filled and I took my BP last night and this morning--both times where significantly lower than they were in the office(systolic was down 30 points, diostolic was down 20)--putting me in the prehypertension range rather than the Stage 2 hypertension range. There is a condition called "white coat hypertension" where people get so stressed about the doctor that their BP skyrockets during office visits--I can totally see that as a potential problem of mine--I get stressed just...

This is just a potpourri of junk swirling through my head--not really knitting and stitching oriented(just so you know). It helps me to clear my head if I put it in writing somewhere--weird, but it's always been the case. My avatar will be returning from her beach vacation shortly as she has succeeded in her mission. Ronan has, in fact, made himself a player in my Nano '05 piece--I think he's a good guy(mostly) but he could go either way. Now I just need to keep the momentum going. I am in the middle of a knitting and stitching mini-slump. I just feel really "blah" lately. I need at least 6 more hours in the day (and a vacation to a tropical beach--no, I'm not letting that one go) and some new super form of caffeine. I am in the process of putting the finishing touches on my resume and next month I will begin filling out online applications for teaching jobs. Hopefully in May and June I will be interviewing and getting hired somewhere. I really miss teac...

Happy Valentine's Day!! Stashalongers--enjoy your 24 hours of freedom--back to reality tomorrow :) Knitting Olympians--go, go, GO! e has left Stashalong. This weeks update: Kim : Not a lot of knitting done here this week. I finished one sleeve on Little Diva's sweater and I finished another repeat on the Sweetheart Hat. Progress 2/14 Amanda : finished a tote(she sewed it by hand!), finished 10 squares in her WTW project, finished a sock, and a KTC square. She has also declared this the year of the square. Andrea : nothing to report. Ann : made a felted trivet, joined the Knitting Olympics, and is starting a Hogwarts hat. Brianne : met 4 of 5 January stitching goals, set 6 goals for February, and got a Secret Pal package. Chris : has been a victim of some Knitting Olympics sabotage but has made significant progress none the less, attended a cat filled Opening Ceremonies Knitogether, finished two scarves and some socks. Cynthia : received an interview at BC for one of ...

Booking Through Thursday How many books do you usually take with you on vacation? Too many? Too few? Do you still have room to pack clothes? Usually one and I usually don't have room to pack clothes but that is because my suitcase is usually full of knitting and stitching stuff. What kind of books do you read on vacation? Whatever I happen to be reading at the time. Do you read the same kind of books when you're on vacation as when you're at home? I read much more when I'm at home. When I am on vacation I usually don't get to read at all because I'm too busy "vacationing". With two little kids you can't really get absorbed in a book while you are on the beach and if we are at Grandma's it's more fun to visit than ignore everyone and read. Today's SBQ was suggested by Nancy (http://crossesnkisses.blogspot.com/) and is: Describe your "perfect" project. (Include the designer or specific pattern, the fabric, the floss, and anyth...

I changed my avatar and let me tell you why(if you care to know). I want a vacation--to a beach. No, I NEED a vacation--to a tropical beach. But that is not going to happen in the near future, so I'm sending my avatar on one. She is waiting for Ronan to show up. He is an important character in my Nano 2005 novel--125+ pages and 61000 words into the novel and he still has not made an appearance although I have finally reached the point where he needs to. Why hasn't he? Because I cannot figure out the best way to introduce him. SO he needs to show up and explain to my avatar what his deal is. How insane does that sound? Insane, probably, but necessary none the less as the story can go no further at this point until he does. Moving on: I was tagged by Kim1 for this one. Instructions: Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot. Knitorious Woman Obsessed strange little mama Chef Messy Knitt...

**Free day: midnight to midnight on February 14, 2006** Jenny , an unofficial Stashalonger, deserves mention here for her very cool HP Unity blanket. Very clever idea and I can't wait to see the finished product. And speaking of Harry Potter, Goblet of Fire comes out on DVD next month--Hurray!!!!! WARNING: Stashalong has been hit with an as yet to be named illness. Symptoms: an overwhelming urge to buy yarn and an inability to stop yourself. Be on your guard ladies--it could possibly reach epidemic proportions :) We have lost three more members this week. Jaya has succumbed to the lure of Noro(I think we have all been there). Marlana : has fallen off the Stashalong wagon as well--another one bites the dust. Shara : fell off the Stashalong wagon as well. On to the update: Kim : I finished the body of Little Diva's sweater and I love the Knitting Pure and Simple Pattern I'm using for her sweater--top down knitting is so much fun and it's perfect TV knitting as ...

First, let me just say: GO STEELERS--5 BABY!! Kid stuff to follow--I won't be offended if you don't read it. Okay, moving on. Twice over the weekend when DH was getting him juice, Little Rage would take the juice and say, "So long, Sucka!" Then proceed to walk out of the room chugging the juice. What is that?!?!?! I don't think that phrase has ever left my mouth or DH's for that matter. The boy is 3--I think I'm in big trouble. I won't even go into some of the words he repeated that he heard me yelling during the game--bad Mommy is all I have to say in my defense. Little Diva was sick this weekend--fever and cough. I had to go to Target and get some Tylenol Cold and Cough. Here's the thing, when did you start having to go to the pharmacy to get children's cold medicine? Not only did I have to go to the pharmacy to get it but I also had to present ID which the pharmacist then entered into the computer. Apparently, cold medicine is an in...

I was indirectly tagged for this by Cara (who tagged everyone) and Margene who had an addendum tagging all Kims and I was directly tagged by Teri . So here goes: List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they’re listening to. 1. Animals --Nickelback I love the lyrics to this one--reminds me of wilder times in my own life. 2. Remedy --Seether Great beat--good for road rage driving. 3. Black --Sarah McLachlan Actually one of the more mellow songs I listen to. 4. Dragula --Rob Zombie Rob Zombie--how would you like to bring him home to Mom and Dad? 5. Where is Everybody --Nine Inch Nails Ah, Saint Trent, really all seven of these songs could be Nine Inch Nails songs that is what I listen to 90% of the time. 6. The Beautiful Pe...

A Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading A Dream Within A Dream Poem by Edgar Allen Poe (1827) Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now, Thus much let me avow- You are not wrong, who deem That my days have been a dream; Yet if hope has flown away In a night, or in a day, In a vision, or in none, Is it therefore the less gone? All that we see or seem Is but a dream within a dream. I stand amid the roar Of a surf-tormented shore, And I hold within my hand Grains of the golden sand- How few! yet how they creep Through my fingers to the deep, While I weep- while I weep! O God! can I not grasp Them with a tighter clasp? O God! can I not save One from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem But a dream within a dream?

This week's SBQ was inspired by my visit with Dawn and is: With the exception of your online stitching friends, do you have any other stitching buddies? As corny as this will sound, my Mom is one of my best stitching buddies. Although we live across the country from each other we still cheer each other on through our projects. Currently she's working on Blueberry Homecoming from Told in a Garden --I bought her all the stuff for it one Christmas. She thinks I'm insane for even attempting a HAED design, but that doesn't stop her from asking for progress pictures :) I would love to find someone here to stitch with in person. I enjoy knitting with others and I think stitching together would be great too. My only criteria is that they also have to be stitching a Big A** Project--it would be infuriating to me to watch someone finish countless Christmas ornaments while I'm plugging along on my 60+ pages of Arwen and Aragorn--but that's just me. Booking Through Th...