Hot mess

See this mess?  This is what happens when you let someone (coughcough husband! coughcough) play with your ball winder and a $30 hank of Colinette Tao.  And did I mention there was no use of a swift or a dining room chair as a swift?  I know, I still want to cry every time I look at this mess of yarn.

This incident happened at the end of January and I cannot bear to think about it but I have to.  Like I said, this is a $30 hank of yarn!  Colinette yarn!  I've had this yarn for something crazy like 3 years and have been saving it for the "perfect" project.   We all know about the "perfect project"---it's that project that you haven't queued on Ravelry yet but you will.  Once it shows itself.  And when it does, you'll be ready with the perfect hank of yarn for the perfect project.  

So, today I've decided to work through this mess and get it untangled, unknotted and wound into a ball.   I haven't found the perfect project yet but back in January, my intention was to use this beautiful yarn to make the Mermaid Tail Cowl for myself.  I wound up using some of my stashed Koigu KPPPM instead.  It's knitting up nicely and true to Koigu KPPPM it looks beautiful but still.  It would have been heavenly with the Tao*sniff*  Poor, poor Tao!

Wish me luck as I work through this beautiful yarn and get it back to its unknotted self.  I'm sure there will be a lot of frustration on my end!!

Hiya!

At some point in my knitting "career", I decided that Addi Turbo needles were the way to go when it came to circulars.  I bought various sizes with different sized cables.  And I loved them.  I used them.  True to my OCD-self, I had their packages labeled with the needle/cable size so I wouldn't have to rely on the packaging or reading the teeny, eeny weeny print on the cable.  For several years we were very happy, my Addis and I.  I made lot of felted bags & various other projects with them.  But I always felt that something was missing.  In the summer of 2009, I gave in to Knitting Group peer pressure, sold some of my Addis and purchased the Knit Picks Harmony Wood Interchangeable needles.  But the love affair was short lived.  The KPHW are sharp needles.  My poor little finger tips would be sore from knitting with them.  They were pretty to be sure and the wood is nice & smooth but I sounded like those ridiculous diabetes commercials where the people are constantly saying "OW! My fingers hurt!"  

Then I discovered Lantern Moon crack , I mean needles.  Their palm, rosewood & ebony needles called out to me.  I was seduced by their altruism.  I bought a few pairs of straights and was a goner.  Somehow they convinced me that I NEEDED a set of their circular needles.  So, I gathered up my ill-fated KPHW needles & sold them with the intention of purchasing the Lantern Moons.  But in the mean time I had purchased a 5/16" circular LM needle for a project (my Mermaid Tail Cowl).  I realized I'd been duped!  The LM circulars are pointy!  Owie pointy!  I had just gotten rid of pointy needles---I didn't need more.  And so I was back to square one--or was I?

A friend of mine has been working at Yarnhouse Studio so going to visit their shop now has two purposes---beautiful yarns/notions & seeing Lacey.  I've been reading about HiyaHiya needles lately & knew that YhS carried them.  Would they let me play/touch with the needles before purchasing so I could make sure they weren't too pointy for my delicate fingers?  Silly girl, of course they would!  And they did!

So today The Super Bookatarian & I went up to Opelika so I could purchase my HiyaHiya set and she could purchase yarn and some goodies for her niece who will soon join our knitting group. ( I'm going to mentor her!  So excited!!  )  I can't wait to start a project with these needles---they're not too pointy, the wood is smooth & lovely and the joins are smooth.  

Pretty cables, huh?  I have a confession---they scare me.  I know how to do them but have this totally irrational fear of them that I avoid patterns with them.  My brother (Mr. I don't really like hand knitted items & used to sell my hand knit socks to my other brother) has indicated that he'd like a black merino cable knit scarf has had to wait for the scarf because I just will not do cables.

Well, the Monthly Dishcloth KAL group's March cloth is a cable cloth.  Any other year I'd pass on it & pick up the Mid-Month KAL when it started.  But this year, I have committed to making all 24 cloths.  The good, the bad & the cable.  So, when Day 1 arrived on Thursday I admit, I panicked a little.  But I knew I wasn't going to break this commitment that I made to myself.  I WILL do this dishcloth.  I will overcome this irrational fear of cables.  I'll be mentoring Super Bookatarian's niece next school year---I need to be able to answer HER questions.  A cable stitch shouldn't scare me.  It can't.

So, last night I did my cable row.  And it wasn't that bad.  In fact, I'm looking forward to working the next cable row.  I was able to knit loosely enough (read: like a normal person who doesn't knit as tightly as I do!) so that the cable stitches flowed easily.  And today, I may or may not have been eyeing some beautiful black cashmere yarn.  It would make a beautiful cable knit scarf for my brother.  Or maybe for me. . .

Birthday & Christmas

Now, I don't have pointy ears but I can do that Spock hand thingy and I do have my moments where I am exceedingly logical.  Or is it that I can rationalize anything?  Anyway. . .

After Sunshine and I drank from the American Girl Kool Aid cups I started planning her AG birthday  and Christmas gifts.  There may or may not be a list.  That's been highlighted with color coding to denote which holiday.  Oh what the heck, I'll share it:

Such & such date-- ATL store--shop & lunch

*insert time here indicating appointment with personal shopper*

*insert time here indicating lunch reservation*   I do have these times but I'm not sure who reads my blog and I'm not comfortable throwing those times out there.

Kit doll ($105)

kit's nightie & girl's size ($42-girls $24 kit's)

Kit's school outfit $32--Ordered 1/15 sale $26--Christmas

Kit's school skirt set $34

Kit's bed--$94

McKenna doll (doll/book 105 starter collection 185)

pajamas $24

practice wardrobe $34

school outfit $28

fancy outfit $28

beam & bar $85

cast & crutches set $30

chocolate chip dog set  $20 Ordered 1/15 Sale $16---Birthday

Felicity's Traveling dress--bought from agthings -Valentine's Day

Felicity's Christmas gown--bought from agthings--Christmas

Felicity's Christmas shoes--bought on ebay--Christmas

Elizabeth's Christmas gown--Bought on ebay--Christmas

Elizabeth's Bed/Bedding--Christmas

Elizabeth/Felicity ornament (ebay)

Elizabeth's Tea outfit

Midnight Skate Outfit $34

Flute Set $34

Ski Outfit & Charm --$30

Julie's Pajamas--$24 Ordered 1/29 Sale $20--Birthday

$125 gift card from mom for Julie's bed--birthday

Pizza slices from Etsy --birthday

Now, you're either sitting there, mouth agape, thinking "holy chowder, that is BRILLIANTLY organized!!" or you're thinking "woman, get a hobby---you are clearly in need of major psychiatric help"  Regardless of which side you occupy, there it is.  Sunshine's AG gift list.

She decided that she wants to buy McKenna with her own money, which is so great for a soon to be 8 year old.  We've been setting aside money that she's received for Valentine's Day, "surprises" from Memere and Grandma/Papa.  I've told her that I will help her with whatever else she needs to make up the rest.   I'm torn on whether she should get the doll ($105) which includes the doll and book or whether we should "upgrade" to the starter set ($185) which includes the doll and book, a 2nd book, the $34 practice wardrobe set, her accessories kit  and an additional outfit.  Apparently the savings is around $15.  I know she wants the practice wardrobe and would love the accessories kit so we'll see.

She decided after Christmas that Santa would bring Kit to her on Christmas 2012.  As you can see, I've already purchased one of Kit's outfits when it was on the spotlight sale back in January.  A friend of mine from home has told me that her daughter, now a young teenager, might want to sell her Kit doll, her bed and several of her outfits to us.  I'm waiting to hear back if she's decided to do so.  If Kit needs any work done, it would allow me enough time to buy her when we're home this summer and then get her shipped off to the doll hospital and get her spiffied up before Christmas.  Since we're planning on being in Vermont I'd just have the doll shipped to my Mom's house.  We can put everything out on Christmas eve.  My plan is that Sunshine's Christmas Eve present (we open one present on CE) would be the girl size version of Kit's nightgown, that way she and Kit would be wearing the same nighties when she wakes up on Christmas Day.  The dresses for Felicity and Elizabeth will be in our living room here in GA just waiting for her when she gets home, along with whatever we decide we don't want to lug to VT and back.

I've also have plans for my Mom's Christmas gifts as well as a couple other family members.  I've purchased one gift already and had I been smart, I would have bulked up my Christmas wrap after Christmas this year.  Oh well.

This week is lazy PTA week---they are few and far between so I am enjoying it to the fullest.  Yesterday I had the exhausting (ha) task of helping to choose tie dye designs for the 5th grade's Field Day t shirts.  We chose 3 designs and the kids will choose their favorite.  A change in Read Across American Day means I won't be going in to read--or will I?   There will be a "read in" called Stop Everything And Read across the entire school in the afternoon but Sunshine's teacher usually does some reading in the afternoon after lunch so perhaps Hunter or I will go in and read.

Right now I'm being super lazy and watching a show on the French Revolution on the History Channel.  (geek geek!)  I read a book last month about La Revolution so a good bit of it is still fresh in my mind.  It makes me wish that we'd gone to the Bastille while we were in Paris.  We went to the Tulleries, the Place du Concorde, Hotel de Ville, etc but managed to miss the Bastille.  Must have been I was too into going to Pere Lachaise to see Jim Morrison's grave.  My inner History geek thinks it must have been amazing to have lived during the time of the Revolution, but The Terror that followed?  Not so much.  Way too much nuttiness with the destruction of the churches/religious articles, the renaming of the months, etc.  We know that my great-great grandmother's ancestors came to Canada from France in the 1600s as part of the Daughters of the King.  My first female ancestor in the New World was named Madeleine DesPres & her husband was part of the "Soldats du Roi".   But little is known of my great-great-great grandather's  family beyond the early 1800s except for that they came from France as well.  We've always wondered if my g-g-g-grandfather's family fled the Terror  or the Napoleonic era.   I'm too cheap to buy an Ancestry.com membership so until then we'll never know.  I'm sure names were changed to protect the innocent, or guilty---whichever they were!

Have a great week---we're enjoying the cooler temps and hope they stick around a little longer!  Our mild winter means lots more bugs here in SW GA.  And we don't like bugs!

I need to call the guys who put our new roof on as they punctured the line for our AC.  We discovered this last week when temps hit 80 and we decided to turn on the AC.  It was 76 in the house and never got any cooler.  Yesterday, our home warranty people sent someone out to

This post brought to you by Mucinex

Okay, not really.  And I'm not receiving financial reimbursement for mentioning them.  In fact, I'm paying THEM!  Not to use their name but to use their product.

So, Book Fair ended on Monday.  Two of my morning volunteers called out--one had a sick grandchild & the other had just too much going on.  Then my lunch coverage 11-2 person called out with two sick children.  It was crazy hectic until the end of the day.  I was like the bartender turning on the lights after last call telling you that you didn't have to go home, but you couldn't stay there.

We have some pretty awesome volunteers at our school & I am so lucky to say that a good number of them work Book Fairs.  Take down went off without a hitch.  Our PTA Secretary's 4th grade son came by to help & even enlisted the help of a 5th grader & 2 2nd graders.  I managed to crawl home (okay, I lied---I drove) & collapse.  Knitting group that night?  Happened without me.

I should mention that while I was playing bartender & kicking people out at 3pm, there was a mom who came in with her two children.  Including her son who came into the library wrapped in a blanket.  Because you know, he was home sick that day.  But it's okay, he's not contagious.  Of course he's not.  He stayed home today just because, right?   I'm sure he's not, but the fact that he's coughing in front of people without covering his mouth is skeeving me out.

I've got a little, okay bit phobia about germs.  I don't touch door handles/knobs in public restrooms.  Nor do I flush public toilets w/ my hand.  I keep packets of Wet Ones wipes in my purse at all times.  I have been seen wiping down the chair at Panera before sitting down to knit.  I wipe down surfaces that I consider to be skeevy.  What?  It's a scientific term.

So people who cough or sneeze without covering their orifices (orifii?) gross me out.   As does counting money for the PTA.  Especially money that germy little hands have touched.  Don't get me wrong---I have fun working with the PTA.  I enjoy being in the school with the kids.  I admit--when the kids say "I know you---you're the BOOK FAIR LADY!!!"  I pretend that I'm a rock star.  Because really, I am.  All PTA volunteers are.  It's true.

But germy little hands?  Yeah.  The first thing I do after making a PTA deposit at the bank?  Break out the Wet Ones wipes.  Before I put my car in drive, my hands are clean.

So, when I woke up feeling mildly ooky on Tuesday, I knew one of my germy little friends (a kid or their $$) was to blame.  When all I wanted to do on Tuesday afternoon (early release day) was sleep & blow my nose---I started pointing fingers.  When I thought my sinuses would explode on Tuesday night &; I couldn't breathe out of both nostrils, I was considering slashing bike tires.

(Really, I would never slash anyone's bike tires.  Or any tires.  Let's blame this diatribe on the cold meds, shall we?)

Wednesday I woke up sounding like the guy from the Pits of Despair.  I may or may not have looked like him too.  Short of picking Sunshine up from school on Wednesday and dropping her off on Thursday morning, I haven't left the house.  At all.  If you know me at all, you know that isn't normal.  I'm not one of those people who can stay in the house for days on end.  My routine existed of getting up, taking cold meds, drinking lots of water, getting comfy on the couch, watching the DVR, several hours of Mad Men on demand, reruns of Downton Abbey mixed in with the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (quality vs ??), naps, more water, more cold medication, Vicks Vap-o-rub on my feet & chest, sleeping propped up on two pillows & just overall misery.  I remember Hunter picked up Chinese take out on Thursday night & didn't get me some chicken teriyaki.  All the poor guy heard for about 20 minutes was that all I wanted was chicken teriyaki & why didn't he get me some chicken teriyaki.  He made it up to me last night with sushi from our favorite Japanese place.

This morning I woke up with a horrible hacking cough.  But I could breathe---PROGRESS!  Since it was pouring down rain all day +   Sunshine has a cold + Hunter has developed a man-cold = boring movie filled day.  Today's viewing included Time Bandits, How to Train Your Dragon, several episodes of The Jetsons, Sunshine commandeering my laptop to play Castleville on my FB & Smitty's FB pages & me getting a couple loads of laundry done.

It hit me this evening that I feel more human.  When I spoke with my mom she agreed that I sounded a good deal better.

Tomorrow will be my first venture out.  I have been asked to mentor the niece of our Super Bookatarian next school year as she will be knitting as her Senior Project.  I'm excited about this---we have several girls in our knitting group who are doing this.  The one that Super Bookatarian mentors shares a birthday with me.  She's adorable--giddy, funny, goofy in that cool way & just a sweet girl.  What amazes me about her is she has no fear about knitting.  She's tackled her projects & while there were stitches or techniques that have stumped her (and the Super Bookatarian), she's stopped, figured out where to find help & has knitted on.  Is it a sign of youth to be so fearless?  So at any rate, I will be meeting Super Bookatarian niece tomorrow & figuring out what's what.

Hopefully I don't look like Pits of Despair dude anymore!

Simple things

Yesterday at Book Fair, I had the most amazing experience.  There is a little boy in one of our Kindergarten classes who is blind.  His cane is taller than he is. He has a full time aide who works with him.  There are people who look at him with pity in their eyes.  I admit to saying a little prayer, thanking God for the gift of my sight, my daughter's & those whom I love, when I see him.

Several months ago, I sat on a committee as the PTA Representative.  We read essays from various students who would represent our school as a Georgia Reader.  This boy was chosen as our K-2 representative.  My interaction with him had been limited to passing him in the hall or seeing him in the library.

Yesterday he & his aide came in to look at books that she would turn into Braille books for him.  We watched in  awe as his little hands touched & worked over the pop up books & how Miss Lisa would explain what he was touching.  It was like watching a sculptor create something beautiful from a lump of nothing.

They made their selections & Miss Lisa told him to sit with us while she went back to his classroom to get his backpack as it was almost dismissal time.  He regaled us with stories much the same way any 5 year old would.  Full of silliness & giggles.  The library aide brought over some of his Braille books---again, his little hands flew over the bumps on the page as he began to tell us about the book he was reading.  And as he read, a light came over his sweet little face.   The joy on his face was palpable---suddenly everyone in the Book Fair was smiling too.  Then he began to giggle.  I've heard plenty of children giggle.  The sound of my daughter's laugh always brings a smile to my face.  How could it not?

But the giggles of this little boy yesterday?  It's a sound I'll not soon forget!

I know these things aren't real

but both of these messages hit the mark for me.


I use the "God Wants You to Know" app on FB.  Today's message was:


You've been worrying too much about the future lately. So tonight, go ahead, put your faith in God, and just have a peaceful evening and a restful sleep. 

Gee, Book Fair set up was today,  the fair runs tomorrow through Monday with Family Night & the Father/Daughter Dance on Friday as well as a busy weekend (breakfast with the fabulous Alida, a birthday party for a friend of Sunshine's).   Friday's been stressing me out as I'll be at the Book Fair all day (8-3), pick up Sunshine from Drama, get her home, throw her in the shower (well, not throw, but you know), fix her hair, get her dressed & then send her out to dinner w/ Daddy & a friend of hers from school before the dance.  Get myself cleaned up & ready for Round 2 & then collapse.



And then in my email the Note From The Universe said:

Some think life is not so much a place to seek personal happiness and fulfillment, laurie, but rather a place to learn lessons and pay dues. And so it is for them. Tallyho,     The Universe I think we know which place I inhabit. Off to pick up Sunshine from school & get some housework done before dinner. Happy Wednesday!

Don't Make Me Call You

Book Fair season is again up on.  Our Mini-Fair starts in one week with set up next Wednesday.  We're slowly getting volunteers through our letters home, which is great.  I'll do a post on our FB group tomorrow letting people know what shifts are still available.  Since it's only a 3 day event, we'll be crazy busy the first couple days & possibly the 3rd.  I know the night of the Father/Daughter Dance will be nuts.  Daddies can't say no to their daughters.  Especially when it comes to books!

I had mentioned that Scholastic had a template for a letter home w/ a detachable volunteer slip which was absolutely genius.  We had several come back the first day, which was awesome.  I've been emailing folks regarding their desire to help out.  But, some of these slips have come back stating they want me to call them.  You know, like on the phone.  If you know me well, you know I have NO problem spending time on the phone.  It's a habit that goes way back to childhood.  I could run up a phone bill like nobody's business.  When my oldest brother was away at graduate school in Michigan, it was my MO to call when my parents weren't home only to surprise them when the phone bill came.

But, to cold call people?  It was never my strong suit when I worked in cosmetics & it's still not my strong suit today.  I know it's really not cold calling as they've already expressed an interest but still.  They're strangers.  Aren't we supposed to stay away from them?  Shouldn't we do this?  Of course, these strangers all have my information---my phone number & email are all over the letters home for Book Fair.  They're in the school's student handbook.  I'm pretty sure they're on the school's website too.  Don't quote me on that one though.

So tomorrow I have to gear myself up to call these people.  Including one woman whose penmanship is worse than mine---I can't read her email address.  I'll also get the teacher's sign up schedules posted & write up the posters.  Oh, and scour the PTA closet for some luau goodies to help us decorate.  I saw a limbo stick at Hobby Lobby today & think we might have to get that for the Family Night Event during the F/D dance.  Don't little girls like it when their daddies limbo??

We went shopping yesterday for Sunshine's dress for the dance.  She did well with her choice---we picked out about 6 different dresses (yes, they were all pink or purple) & found 2 that we both liked the best.  I'm proud to say that I let her make the decision.  It wasn't the choice I wanted her to make but that's okay.  It's adorable & she's going to be so pretty in it.  I need to remind Hunter to pick up a corsage (she's insisting on a bouquet, so we'll see) & to take her to dinner beforehand.  Preferably somewhere that she's not going to make a mess!