I made my first major road trip alone with the kids this past weekend. Here's how the trip to Mitchell broke down.

5:10 p.m Left day care. The car is loaded. Everyone went potty and we’re on the road.

5:25 p.m. Stop to get gas in Orange City, about 20 miles from home. No one has to go potty. I go in to pay for gas and wait 15 minutes for the most incompetent cashier EVER to ring up a dude’s donut, lottery ticket and doh, he forgot to add the $20 in gas, but couldn’t figure out how to add the gas to the previous total of $3.28.

5:45 p.m. On the road again, finally.

6:15 p.m. Hit Hawarden, 20 more miles downt he road and turn onto Highway 12 to head south. A chorus of “I have to go potty” erupts from the back seat. I back track, to hit the new Casey’s -- which I know has a public potty and escort the minions to the bathroom.

6:25 p.m. On the road again. I finally give up on trying to listen to some news as I am bombarded with a slew of questions. Namely I explain what a gravel pit is, what an irrigation system is and speculate with I-minion where the train might go and why it isn't on the track for him to see. E-minion is content to watch the fields pass by -- almost on the verge of sleeping, I think.

I cruise through Akron, smugly knowing that I am on my way to Westfield (which is 20 miles from our last stop) where I will cross the Big Sioux River and have the highway automatically turn into the road that will lead me directly to Vermillion -- the midpoint of this adventure.

Alas, I approach the turn, the Iowa DOT has conviently blocked out the sign, that I assume says Vermillion, SD X miles. I have to back track to Akron to find a place to cross the river. I’m thinking horrible thoughts a la Oregon Trail and fording the river so I can cross wherever I want to. But, I don’t think it my little station wagon would do as well as a canastoga wagon and a horsepower of two --especially since the river looks high.

I answer a ton of questions about the bridge being closed for repairs.

I take the detour and head up and down some wonderful bluffs that A) I cannot believe they paved roads here and B) I estimate the slope to be somewhere around 12 percent range. E-minion mentions it makes her tummy feel funny. Thank you South Dakota for you 65 mph speed limits and my lead foot, for giving my daughter her first roller coaster experience.

I get off my detour, and attempt to follow my directions which were way whacked. So I eventually just find a paved road figuring it will either get me to Vermillion or to a sign which will tell me what direction to go to Vermillion.

7:25 p.m. I am on Cherry Street in Vermillion (which happily is Highway 50, for future reference) I call the little brother and we meet at McDonald's. As I finish the conversation E-minion pipes up I have to go potty NOW. I unbuckle her, she looks a little pale.

As we are washing hands, I-minion wanders under the automatic hand dryer, it turns on and scares him. He screeched and jumped enough to almost whack his head on the dryer. We come out and my little brother and his new girlfriend are there.

We eat the standard chicken bites and a couple fries, drink our chocolate milk. I-minion new stories about the 4969 pickup he works on with his dad. E-minion dances around her chair, it’s all good.

We hop in the car, with the little brother and head out. Everything is going well, and all we hit a weather front and the temperature drops from 55 to 42 degrees. The wind picks up and it to rain, hard. In no-man’s land between Yankton and Tyndall I-minion announces he has to go potty.

I try to convince him to wait until we get to a town. It didn’t work. I pull over, unbuckle. He doesn’t like the wind, rain or traffic – it scares him. Frankly, it scared me. It’s a two-lane highway that’s busy.

I-minion get’s his first “pee in the bottle” experience while standing inside the back hatch of my car, while shivering.

After I buckle him up, tuck his favorite blanket around him, he shivers for a bit before he announces he’s not doing that again – it’s too cold.

8:45 p.m. both minions crash.

9 p.m. Mom calls “Where are you?” Not there yet, I respond and remind her of traveling with toddlers is like.

9:30 p.m. We pull into Mitchell, park the car and haul sleeping minions from the car into Grandma’s where they promptly wake up, convinced it’s time for breakfast.

The rest of the weekend went swimmingly. We shopped, getting new summer clothes. We fixed the grill, we napped (and mama ran errands with her mama). Then after nap we went to the farm were we met a baby cow. The minions were worried that he was all by himself and wondered why John didn’t have a calf-sitter.

We saw a batch of newborn kittens. Everyone took a turn driving the tractor. E-minion is a pro, after driving the mower with mom last summer as we picked up sticks. I even got in on the tractor driving. I hope to post more about the weekend soon.

A Vampy Scarf

I had planned The Rosalie Hale Scarf to serve as a substitute in the “mindless” knitting rotation after a particularly frustrating sock. The pattern is a free one from A.M. Downs (link to blog and pattern.) This is based on the scarf that Rosalie Hale wears in the Twilight Movie during the grand entrance of the vampires. It’s beautiful, long and elegant.

(I'll admit it doesn't look as cool, as it does on Rosalie in Twlight, but you can see the details nicely)

The chevron lace scarf has a 14 row pattern repeat. I wanted to knit it – knowing full well that I wouldn’t wear it. But I NEEDED to knit it. I bought yarn, Red Heart Soft (I was in search of Caron Simply Soft, but apparently none of the little stores that carry yarn in my part of rural Iowa have it). I cast on and the first half went well. I had gotten each pattern repeat to take about 15 minutes.

Then I got cocky.

I started the second half of the shawl and the entire process went something like this: Knit 21 rows, rip 14, knit 14, rip 14, knit 21 rows, knit 14 rows, and rip 21 out. I got a bit compulsive, I admit. There is not a mistake in the lace of the project.

Unfortunately, there are several mistakes in the single crochet border around the entire scarf. My mantra is “I hook because I have to.” I don’t like crocheting – there is too much wrist movement. My hands ached by the time I got around the entire scarf. I also was sweating a bit, considering when I was done I had 36 inches remaining.

Pattern: Rosalie Hale’s Scarf
Yarn: Red Heart Soft
Cast On: April 1, 2009
Cast Off: April 11, 2009
Blocked: April 12, 2009
Details: I love this scarf. I loved knitting it, but it isn’t me. I sent it to Knittingtothebottom as part of the Eclipse Swap on Ravelry. It's now making it's home in New Jersey, with potential day-trips to New York City. I think it's found a happy home.

Outlandish Swap 2.0

For my part in the Dragonfly in Amber Outlandish Swap, I made a double pointed needle case and a nostepinne. That's a handy tool for winding center pull balls. I rounded up two skeins of soy silk in a teal color. I also found a natulis shaped needle gauge. Recently I discovered the joys of bent-tipped blunt needles for weaving in ends. I thought I'd share. My Celtic themed item included seven celtic knot stitch markers. To top it off, there was a Swiss dark chocolate.

Outlandishly spoiled

If you haven't guessed, I spend a lot of time on Ravelry. It's where the cool yarn people hang out. We all come to this magical place from around the world because of one thing: yarn. As a way to get to know each other there are different groups you can join. I'm part of a group of fans of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander book series.

This spring a group of us decided to do a yarn swap based on the Dragonfly in Amber book (the second in the series). We all divided up into clans. I am the happy chieftess of Clan Mackenzie. I lead a group of 15 others in rallying the troops keeping everyone organized and of course cheering them on in the Highland Games -- a series of trivia games and logic contests based on the books.

The exciting part is when you get a special box in the mail. At the Wannabe Domestic Goddess house it's always a special time. This time the box came from Eilis, the clan chieftess of Beauchamp.


The entire box is chock full of wonderful goodies that take me along the path the Jaime and Claire experience during the book.



First off, there were goodies for the kids: Denim aprons embellished with E-minion's E and I-minion's I -- they were quick to pick up on that. I'll explain the connection to the book in a moment. Then there were shoe ornaments representing Lousie Rohan's monkey and King Louis' dogs.







Next out of the box were the fiber goodies: Eilis outdid herself on the beautiful colorful shawl made out of bird of paradise yarns. The drape and softness of this shawl is unlike anything I have ever experienced -- especially for crochet. (I might need to rethink my stance on the hook)

The shawl was wrapped with a beautiful tiger's eye and red jasper bracelet, that happens to match about 90 percent of my wardrobe. There were also two skeins of superwash merino/tencel roving for me to spin. As an added bonus it's in the "grinch" colorway.






(Edie is also amazed with the drape, too)





Eilis also knows that I try to knit when the kids are around so she made up a batch of stitch markers with the minon's names -- that is so cool, to have that type of personalization and nice bright row markers. She also tossed in an added bonus of a Mackenzie sticker -- I think I have good spot for that to go.



The last item, but not least is the consumables. Knowing life with twins can be harrowing (Eilis is a twin) she included a pair of single malt Scottish Whisky -- Glenlivet and The Speyside. There was a tin of spiced Chai and a Scottish Spoon Bread mix -- the aprons are so the minions can help without getting themselves messy.




I think the aprons will help when we venture into the realm of pasta making this weekend, since I-minion requested "blue" pasta.

At the very bottom of box was a small envelope with the note -- open me last. Inside, was a "photo" postcard that Eilis hoped would appeal to my "muckraking" journalist side -- a side I tend to suppress now that I am officially a "grant writer." This the idea came from a conversation we had on the forums on Ravelry. It certainly made me smile. No photo though, because it is a bit on the burlesque side of things, and this is a family friendly blog.

Thanks again for the wonderful package, Eilis!

Boys and Their Cars

We are a car family, thank to my husband. He's always loved cars and during the 13 years I've known him, he's owned more cars than I am old.

We go to car shows. We watch car movies (The Fast and the Furious, anyone?) and we collect cars. We've got five licensed and insured now, plus a handful or two of other project cars on the farm – including a nice little stash of vehicles tucked behind my barn, that once things start growing, are conveniently hidden in the tall grass.

We work on cars.

And if you are 3 that means:

• You tote around ratchets, wrenches and play in the grease.
• You also play “going to the car show” on your trikes.
• On ambitious days you try to put the cat in a wagon to take her to the car “scruze” (cruise).
• Then you're confused why the cat runs away whenever she can wriggle out of your arms.
• When it is too wet to play outside you play “car cruise” and line up all your little cars on the couch. It's a drag when you mother tells you to pick up your little cars, so you find unique ways to store them. This is my rocking chair.
  

Spring is a particularly busy time of year a car family. Weekly car cruises started two weeks ago and neither of our classic cars – a 1969 Lincoln Continental, with suicide doors, and a my 1949 International Pickup – are road worthy at the moment.

The front brakes need to be replaced on the Lincoln – a fact we discovered after the first day J took the car out of the shed from the winter. Let's just say finding replacement brake pads and calipers (the thingies that hold the pads and actually “squeeze” the rotor to make the car stop) are a little hard to find.

We bought the pickup last year and my husband transplanted the engine, transmission and rear end from a 1977 Monte Carlo into it -- the "donor" just happened to be living behind the barn. He had to rebuild the front suspension to accommodate the modern engine, transmission and brakes. This spring, he discovered one of the welds holding the shock mounts in place broke free. I can't drive it until it is fixed. We've also got to replace the seats with ones taller ones so I can see out the window. Oh, and seat belts are also nice addition.

Of course, it's difficult to work on these projects when the main shop is full. My husband's beloved 1-ton pickup is ripped down to the frame and is in the process of restoring the body and installing a turbo on the engine.

Here my hubby is in happier times with his pickup. We were in college and I needed an environmental portrait for my photography class, and this was one of them. Shot with an old-school Nikon with a true fisheye lens. I had to hold for an 1/8^th of a second (I was much more steady years ago). It's still a little grainy and of course he doesn't sit still, but it's a great shot of his truck and the shop.

This is the first year I'm actually looking forward to the car cruises and shows. I think it has something to do with the fact I'll have my own to drive. This was last summer right when we were test fitting the engine and front end.

I think my pickup needs a name. Any suggestions?

Restoring the Faith

I bought a lushious skein of Conjoined Creation's Flat Feet yarn (I don't remember the colorway but it is warm, cozy and very nature-like) I decided to do my first toe-up socks, my first two at a time socks and my first short-row heel (on life-sized socks); all on magic loop. I've knit, to day 10 pairs of socks, so I thought I could handle the multiple facets of new technique.

I scurried off to Ravelry for the perfect pattern and settled on Nagini (Ravelry link). I've done cables before, so I didn't think much of it.

Cast on while convelescing for three days post knee surgery in September with grand plans to complete and wear to my check-up in late October. It went along swimingly until I royally messed up the short row heel on one and screwed the pattern up on the other. After sitting in purgatory for more than a month and still struggling how to fix it, I decided that they didn't fit well and frogged. This was my second Ugh! posted on Ravelry.

Here is an out-of-focus shot of the socks, pre frogging. I made it small so your eyes wouldn't cross.

In order to restore my faith in my sock knitting ability I went to a safe place with my beloved yarn -- 5 dpns and a ribbed sock. Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks answered my prayer her garter rib socks. It's also an amazing sock knitting reference. Want to know how to perfect the kitchner stitch, eliminate the donkey ears on the heels and make different toes, heels, cast ons and bind offs. Her books are my go-to for sock knitting.

Yarn: Conjoined Creation's Flat Feet

Colorway: hmm I don't know

Pattern: Garter Stitch Rib from Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Soocks

Cast On First Sock: 3/12

Cast on Second Sock: 3/27

Finished: 3/27 -- that my friends, is 17 days to a pair of socks. Not to shabby, huh?

Details: Cast on double the cast on and during the first round I k2tog, k2tog, P2tog, p2tog to end up with my 56 stitches to complete the pattern. I love how I actually got the pattern centered on the top of my foot. This pattern does create an elegant sock that easily could be used for a man in appropriate colors -- like black. The pattern is interesting enough you won't get bored, but not so complicated you have to think about ever stitch.

I can now war these socks with my favorite brown pants.

Gullible

Sometimes I must tune out the constant noise coming from the mouths of my children. Usually I just listen for the plaintive cries that mean someone is hurt. Those are usually are prefaced with a general scream/screech and in the worst cases a loud thump.

Saturday night I was visiting with J as we cooked supper. The kids were playing in the living room and I wasn’t paying a whole lot of attention. They weren’t fighting, but they were digging things out of the large drawers of my entertainment center.

Soon there were screeches. Then a couple screams that became more distressed. I finally realize that this isn’t going to go away and I head into the living room. I come in to find E-minion shoving the large bottom drawer closed as hard as she possibly can, but there’s a problem – a leg is sticking out and she’s slamming it and each time she does I-minion squeals.

Yes. My daughter was shutting her brother in a drawer. It was so hard not to laugh. After E-minion got a time out for hurting her brother and I-minion got calmed down we had the discussion about how it wasn’t OK to push her brother around and to not automatically do what the other suggests.

Thankfully I was able to avoid the “If your friends jumped off a bridge would you do it too?” scenario. Iminion then asked me what “Gullible” meant, because Eminion called him that before he crawled in the drawer.

More Conversations with a now 3-year-old

Cast of Characters: I-minion, Mom
Setting: In the Garage, after we get home from day care

[I-minion picks up a 'Noah and the Arc' lift the flap book up from between the car seats and starts looking at it and identifying animals pictured.]
I-minion: Mama, who is this book about?
Mom: [Looking at the book] It's about Noah. Remember him?
I-minion: So, does this Noah guy, like "know things?"
Mom: [Rolls eyes] I suppose so. He knew he had to build the big boat and gather two of all of the animals.
I-minion: Yeah, but HOW does he know things?
Mom: I'm guessing God told him.
I-minion: Oh. OK.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Éirinn go brách!

As a girl who claims majority Irish ancestory, today is a day to celebrate heritage. Instead of imbibing with a bit of green beer or exciting revelry, I'm marking the occassion with either A) A Guiness or B) A nice glass of Irish Whiskey, neat. I don't know which will be the beverage of choice tonight.

Here's an Irish Blessing that my mother taught me when I was a little girl:

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

And may you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows you're dead.

The Weekend by the Numbers:

42 Hamburger buns munched down
24 Eggs served over-easy
11 Steaks grilled
9 People sleeping in my house
5 Naps taken and we’re not talking about the 3-year-olds -- they didn't nap
5 Pounds of chicken wings consumed
5 Pounds of potatoes baked
4 Onions sacrificed for lunch
4 Uncles (including a few of the “great” variety and I’m not referring to their status)
4 Comments made regarding either A) the need for waders because the BS was getting a little thick or B) the need to install a floor drain in the living room to wash the BS down.
3 Pounds of raw baby carrots eaten with both Ranch and Blue Cheese Dressing
3 Gallons of milk gulped down
2 ½ Pounds of ground beef turned into taverns
2 Heads of cauliflower eaten with both Ranch and Blue Cheese Dressing
2 Heads of broccoli eaten with both Ranch and Blue Cheese Dressing
2 Jam sessions with guitar and ukulele
2 Rolls of TP flushed (Hello septic system, are you OK?)
2 Accidents by the newest potty trainee because she couldn't get into the potty in time
1 Pound of cheese of the Co-Jack and Baby Swiss variety consumed
1 Can of coffee (don’t ask how many pots the Bunn was asked to provide)
1 Door knob, dismantled
1 Aunt (also of the great variety)
1 Gwampa
1 High school-aged cousin and her boyfriend (All of the males said the same thing in their best Mr. Burns impression “Excellent. Fresh meat.”)


To numerous to count:
Laughs
Groans
Pots of ice tea made and consumed
Beer drunk (I went to bed before much of it was guzzled after I went to bed. I’m guessing Uncle Dan did put much of it away, considering I didn’t see him much on Sunday)

Lessons Learned:

• I am my family. My laugh, gestures, sense of humor and in some aspects, my looks, comes from the family. It is obvious that I have passed many of these traits on to my children, since I see them in some of their actions and tone of voice.
• Expect the living room to be filled with laughter, maybe a few tears when you say (while standing in the laundry room) “No, you can’t have the screwdriver back. You took the door knob off.”
• Expect the uncles to love the story that your almost-2-year-old got kicked out of day care for a day because he bit someone and drew blood.
• Expect lots of stories about the horribly embarrassing things that I’ve been credited with over the last 29 years – including several my husband has never heard.
• My kitchen works can work as a good buffet set up.
• My table can accommodate 12 people sitting around it -- if I can locate that many chairs.

One Day After the Time Change

6:20 a.m. J stumbles out of the bed; questions whether a spot he thinks he sees on the wood floor in our bedroom is blood (from the dog); decides it isn’t and heads down stairs. I'm left questioning what was a blood spot and if there was a spot, why did he leave it. For the record, Rocky frequently bleeds in our room.

6:30 a.m. I realize the likelihood of the college calling a snow day are pretty slim. Yes, we got several inches of snow, sleet and freezing rain, but it all melted less than 6 hours later.

6:32 a.m. I stumble downstairs wondering why the kids aren’t up yet and silently rejoice.

6:45 a.m. I finish the morning routine in the bathroom, deciding that my hair doesn’t look too Medusa-like and confine it with a head band. I stalk out to the laundry room dreading that I probably have a dryer full of wrinkled clothes that should have been hung up yesterday.

6:46 a.m. I rejoice that my husband hung up the entire load of clothes. Find my favorite black pair of pants, and a shirt – any shirt. I settle on a pink v-necked sweater with three-quarter length sleeves.

6:47 a.m. I am dressed and putting my shoes on. J isn’t dressed yet.

6:49 a.m. I flick on my hot water pot to make tea to take to work. I tripped over one of the dogs and stepped on the cat.

6:50 a.m. I start assembling my knitting for Knit Night tonight, putting the kids backpacks, snow pants and shoes all together. I realize Edie’s snow boots are still SOAKING wet from our adventure yesterday outside.

6:55 a.m. J heads up stairs to wake the kids up, apparently the time change has gotten them.

6:56 a.m. The screaming begins.

6:57 a.m. J comes downstairs with mole baby (Eminion) and a screaming Iminion. He also has their big Kelli blankets and their clothes. [No this isn't theirs, it a sample of the wonders that polyester and flannel can do]

6:58-7:12 a.m. The screaming continues. J wrestles the kids into their clothes. Ian finally calms down.

7:13 a.m. This is the normal time I herd the kids out the door. Iminion tromps out to the laundry room, reluctantly puts his boots on. Throws a small fit about putting his coat on, thinking I won’t zip it for him.

7:14 a.m. The screaming continues. Gently remind him that I’ll help him zip it up. Gather up my knitting bag, purse, tea cup, and grocery bag full of snow pants to haul to the car.

7:15 a.m. J is helping Eminion to put her coat on. She hands me her boots and says “They’re still Weeet” in all the whine a 3-year-old can muster that early in the morning.

7:18 a.m. I walk out the door with a second load of crap to haul to the car; including Eminion’s wet boots. I was feeling quite like a pack mule at the time. Iminion follows because he wants to be buckled up.

7:19 a.m. I dump the load, buckle him up. He complains he’s cold. I forgot to let the car warm up.

7:20 a.m. I meet Eminion standing in the doorway. “Carry me!” she demands. I refuse, she melts into the floor of our dirty nasty garage. I walk past her, to get the last thing, the kids’ blankets.

7:22 a.m. I say good-bye to J and walk out the door. Eminion is in full on fit.

7:23 a.m. I realize I’m so very, very late. I pick her up. Haul her out and put her in the car seat.

7:24 a.m. I discover how flexible Eminion’s back is, based on how much arch she is able to get while fighting me. Iminion is crying because he’s cold. I pull his blanket on him.

7:25 a.m. The screaming continues. I can hear it when all of the doors are shut. I tell J I’m glad I only have to take them ¾ of a mile to drop them off at day care. He’s putting the dogs in the kennel.

7:26 a.m. I sit down, buckle up and start the car. I am serenaded for the entire trip to day care.

7:35 a.m. Finally get out of day care and begin the trip to the office, contending with slick roads, fog and a general foul humor.

8:10 a.m. I arrive at work. I am now puzzling the importance of switching to daylight savings time, and how much good it really does us.

More Conversations with a now 3-year-old

Cast of Characters: E-minion, Mom
Setting: Garage, in the morning while getting ready to go to day care.

Mom: Hop in your chair so I can buckle you up.
[E-minion jumps in her and Mom leans over to buckle her up]
E-minion: Your hair smells good.
Mom: Really, what does it smell like?
E-minion: Rat food.

Nothing is safe, anymore

Iminion has an uncanny ability to see and understand how things work. He mastered pounding nails into boards at about 18 months -- that is, if he could find a knot hole, or some other flaw in the board to hold the nail in place. By the age of 2 he could pound in a whole line of nails in a 2-by-4, without any prior holes. To this day, I almost think he is more accurate with a hammer than than I am.

In the last two months he's conquered the skill necessary to twist a screw into a board. This skill has manifested in ways ultimately more useful than pounding nails. Iminion discovered he could remove the screws holding his toys together and the theoretically well designed battery compartment lid.

He decided to change the batteries in his police car. After scrounging up a phillips screwdriver, that's exactly what he did.




Tonight while putting laundry away, he'd found a little screw driver that comes with assemble-yourself-furniture and he decided to remove the brackets that hold the shelving unit in his closet. I discovered this when he had four screws out.
He loves to "fix" and he knows where all the tools are located -- especially mine. My tools are kept in "sanctuary" to protect them from tool raiders. J, my husband is a known plunderer of tools and it appears Iminion is too.

Everyone encourages it. Iminion and his Uncle Dan assembled a bird feeder after opening Christmas presents.



This summer he was all about building and fixin'.


Heaven help me when he is capable of even more than this.

Proof, I really do knit

Finally I have proof that I really am a knitter. Last week I started the Irish Diamond Shawl based on Cheryl Oberle's Folk Shawls book. It was an amazing gift. Leafing through the pages I was instantly taken by this Irish Diamond Shawl.

I picked up the yarn, Kraemer Sterling and Silk in the colorway "red carpet." It feels so Old Hollywood glam. The silver flecks are actual sterling silver.

I cast on a week ago, and ended up frogging, or ripping out the entire work because I was convinced that I had messed up the yarnovers. After frogging how many thousand stitches -- I'd cry if I actually knew -- I cast on, and knit the neck band, and three repeats in about three and a half hours. Each repeat takes just over an hour.

I have finally memorized the eight row repeat, considering that it stays the same until I have 15 diamonds in each section of the shawl.

Once completed it should measure about 54 inches square.

Oh, those green threads and white threads that look like dental floss, are my life lines. If I mess up, I'll be able to unravel to that point and easily pick up the stitches. I learned during my last foray into knitting that I should keep them in place for more than one pattern repeat, however, five might be a bit much. . .

Trials of a Wannabe Domestic Goddess

I have grand delusions of being a domestic goddess, hence the "wannabe" in the tag line. This week Rocky, my black lab, single-handedly demolished this notion Monday night after I spent 45 minutes cleaning up high-velocity blood spatter off my bathroom walls and scrubbing the blood out of the living room carpet.

Rocky has the delusion of being a big, bad dog who hunts critters and keeps his yard safe. Unfortunately, he isn't very good at it. Monday night he came home bleeding and laid down on the carpet. The next thing I know, there's little puddles of red stuff on the carpet. I quickly discovered the source, a chunk of his ear was missing. Yup, someone/thing bit a piece of his ear off and every time he shook his head, blood sprayed everywhere.

After consulting the American Red Cross's pet owner first aid book (a Christmas present) on the best method to wrap his ear. It took a while to find a method that would keep his ear in place.

He looked a little funny.


Jasmine, our other dog, ridiculed him. She didn't allow him in the machine shed, where they have a cozy corner full of hay. She made him sit in the dog house. I think his ego is hurt.



I know that if I'm ever consumed with the desire to off someone, I'll chose a method that doesn't involve blood spatter. Every time I think I've got it all cleaned up, I notice another dark red, almost black spot on the wall, light switch, vanity, shower curtain and bathroom rug. There's no way I'd ever get a crime scene cleaned up to exclude myself from the invesigation.

We have yarn

Tonight I kicked the minions outside with their father. It was 45 degrees, and they haven't been able to play outside after supper since, oh before winter started. So, out they went, and I sat down at my yet-to-be-named spinning wheel to experiment with plying by singles.

It worked.

I cannot believe that I actually have yarn, useable yarn. While I don't have a handy tool to easily tell how many wraps per inch I have, but I'd guess that this is worsted weight, overall.




I think I like this spinning stuff. One skein is typical size, and then I have two smaller ones. All are balanced, they don't twist up on themselves. Once again, I'm in shock that they turned out this well for a first time.


I believe that I'll be spending more time at the wheel and in search of fiber.

A new obsession

One week ago, I got this:

It's a Louet S10.

To make:


I already have two bobbins full and intend to try to ply it together while the kids nap. I'm in love. So is Tori. She pretends not to be.

But, all my wool has a chance to see is this when she's attacking the bundle of roving.

Tori has turned from a yarn loving kitten into a fiber-holic much like me. She has taken my nice roving and mangled it to pieces. She even likes to mark the wheel as hers.

It's amazing how soothing a spinning wheel can be. I've been spinning some undyed roving that came with the wheel and will be out soon.

The next challenge: fiber acquisition. Imagine the possibilities!

Oh, and to find a good chair to sit in while spinning in the living room. My favorite rocking chair doesn't quite cut it, and neither does the couch.

What I've done - The G-rated version

Things I’ve Done (In Bold)

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightning at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (do dogs count?)
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check (not intentionally)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar (hated it, thought it was gross)
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square (drove through it…)
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House (I think I drove past it?)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Rode an elephant

Outlandish goodies

Over at Ravelry I'm part of the Outlander swap, which is a group for the fans of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander book series. In the series a post World War II nurse steps through standing stones in Scotland and is transported to the 18th Century where she ends up marrying a man against her will. He becomes her true soul mate. The book is about their trials and tribulations. Cheesy description, but there's a heck of a lot more in the 800 pages than just that (that's the first book my friends, but it's worth it.)

This fall the group sponsored a swap. I was the Mackenzie Clan leader and received all sorts of goodies from sassenach of Clan Fraser. Take a peek at the goodies sassenach sent. Granted I got this in late October, but my computer and camera haven't really been on speaking terms, so that's why you get this now.





The details:

• Mackenzie tartan draw-string sporran with Jacobite thistle emblem Iminion promptly stowed several small tractors inside. I've rescued it and it now stores my stash of sock yarn I'm using to make mini mittens for the holidays.
• Four beautiful Celtic knot stitch markers
• An amazing skein of superwash merino sock yarn from an indie dyer on Etsy. This in a perfect colors for Clan Mackenzie tartan. I can't wait to find the perfect sock pattern to make socks.
• A coffee mug that happens to match my dishes (how’d you know that sassenach?) with a Celtic knot cozy (with pattern) and
• several bags of vanilla hazelnut tea.

I should be posting a few finished objects of the knitting variety here in the next few days. I vow that I will succeed in brokering a deal with the technology cartels running through central O'Brien County. I just hope the peace accord that I'm working on will stick.

For Shame

Not only have I practically abandoned this baby for two months, I have yet to post anything knitting related, which I claim in my tag line. For shame is right. Instead of a lovely post of my knitting escapades, I'll quickly bring you up to speed, I'll post this popular little gem. It's like a who's done what for the knitting world.
Bold means I've done it. Italic means I intend to do it. Plain text means the fancy hasn't struck me yet.

As a trained journalist I feel obligated to crunch a few numbers and give you a little analysis: there are 98 items on the list. I've done 52 of them for 53 percent completition rate. I have intentions to complete 26 items for 26 percent of list.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal/wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dyeing with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday related knitting
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dyeing yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BOPurses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public


Perhaps I'm a more accomplished knitter than I give myself credit for. Hmmm, that's a point to ponder.