Well, who knew that I was so darn stylish? One of the “hot” items of the summer (according to Vineyard Style Magazine) just happens to be in my closet! A MV Fiber Farm t-shirt. Susan really IS taking over the world. That’s two magazines this week.

Good thing I put my hair in a braid today, then, huh?

Though, really, it wasn’t hot today. It was about 85-88 and, for a wonder, no humidity. Summer’s still not my favorite season, but this weather I can handle.

I’ve gotten distracted by watching old episodes of Fame over on Hulu. That site, I tell you, is addictive! So many good (and some not so good) tv shows that I haven’t seen in ages. Fame stands up pretty well, too–I remember loving it when I was in high school–but I gave the pilot of “One Day at a Time” a shot the other day and all of Julie’s yelling about “poor, misunderstood, teenage me” got on my nerves. “Mary Tyler Moore” is always good, though. And “Firefly.” And…

Speaking of television, did you know, Burn Notice is back for its second season tonight?

• Tags: General, Hair • Permalink:Hot // 5 Comments »

Back to the center of town for Mom and me today. It was a beautiful day but a little chilly–about 40 degrees and breezy. The sky was blue-blue-blue, though.

Just like last weekend, we went in for some coffee. (Oh, and that big hole in the shopping plaza they’re renovating? I didn’t get a picture, but they’ve put up a cinder-block wall, so now there’s basically an alley through what was the center of the building–which is an improvement over a big hole, but I’m still dying to know why.)

Anyway, after coffee, I went for a haircut. It’s only been two months since my last one and I really prefer to stretch them longer than that, but it was starting to get to the point of needing a cut and since I want to look my best next month when I get to meet all those sheep, lambs, goats, and kids (not to mention Susan and any other fellow bloggers who might be at the MV Fiber Festival), well, I figured it was better to get it trimmed now. As usual, I won’t know until tomorrow how good the cut actually is, but since I haven’t been screaming in front of the mirror like I was after that awful cut in November, the signs are propitious.

Speaking of signs … Spring is definitely coming!

Oh, and take a look at this amazing cake–decorated with frosting roses to look like map of the world.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go back to watching this Bewitched episode where Samantha and Darrin go back to determine whether he would still have married her if he knew she was a witch … Hulu.com is addictive!

• Tags: General, Hair • Permalink:Cutting // 5 Comments »

You know, knitting isn’t the only thing you can do with a pair of sticks.

Sometimes, they’re more fun to just put into your hair.

(It’s just a pity that my hair never stays up. I think the record–even with excellent twisting, great hair sticks, and firm closure–was about four hours. Still, pretty!)

Brought to you by:

• Tags: Eye-Candy Friday, Hair • Permalink:Sticks // 8 Comments »

Okay, so maybe I’m a little vain about my curls. As I go through my old archives, I keep coming across posts where I talk about my hair or show pictures of my hair, and really, well . . . what can I say? I like my curly hair!

Not to mention relieved to finally have a decent haircut.

Brought to you by:

• Tags: Eye-Candy Friday, Hair • Permalink:Vanity // 5 Comments »

So, after a day of wearing your wonderful, handknit socks . . . what do you do with them?

Sock-washing is one of the topics that came up on Saturday. Kim lets them pile up and then does a big wash of bunches of them. Risa uses the Harlot’s method of wearing them into the shower, thereby avoiding “laundry” altogether.

I still like my method best. When I get ready for my shower at night and take my socks off, I fill up the sink with a some woolwash like Soak, a drop of shampoo, or a squirt of conditioner.

Then, while I’m in the shower, the socks soak. It’s that simple.

By the time I’m done with my shower, the socks are clean. I gently wring out the water and hang them in the shower to dry. I used to lay them flat on a towel on the counter, but Chappy enjoyed trying to steal that (grin). The hang-to-dry method is safer for the socks.

And, that’s it. I can’t really imagine an easier method, not really. Soaking them while I’m in the shower takes care of the hard part, and they dry themselves with no additional effort from me. All I have to do is fill up the sink in the first place, and then remember to drain it and take the socks out. Not really that much of a strain on my mental resources, you know? And my socks are always clean, since I wash them the day I wear them, and there’s never a pile of dirty socks waiting to be cleaned. AND it is so simple, I don’t consider this “laundry,” either.

Now, did you catch that I use conditioner to wash them? This is another thing I’ve been meaning to mention. A couple weeks ago, Mom, Dad and I were chatting about hair (don’t ask me why Dad was chatting about hair–he’s had a crewcut since high school), and Mom said, “One time, I accidentally used conditioner to wash my hair [shudder].” I said, “I use conditioner all the time.” “But I used it instead of shampoo. [shudder again].” “Yes, that’s what I mean.”

This isn’t completely new news, even in the knit-blogging world. In fact, Wendy posted about it just last month. I’ve even mentioned it myself, though not recently, and it bears repeating. Shampoo, even the ones touted as “moisturizing” usually have harsh cleansing agents–usually sulfates–that are bad for your hair, so that your hair then requires conditioner to add the stripped-moisture back, like putting on hand lotion after washing the dishes. Except, it’s healthier to avoid the stripping in the first place. Conditioners often have plenty of cleansing agents in them to begin with–they just need a little extra time to loosen the dirt. (You can read more about conditioner washing here. And here.) It’s true that not every conditioner is eligible–the ones that have non-water-soluble silicones, for example, would just build-up on your hair, but there’s a large number that work, and they’re not always the expensive ones, either.

It does make a certain amount of sense, if you think about it. I learned in high school chemistry that oils dissolve oils. The ancient Romans used oil for their own bathing, after all, and you can clean your own skin with oil even now (Either with purchased products, or by mixing your own out of 50/50 castor oil and extra virgin olive oil, with maybe a drop or two of aromatic oil for scent.) So, really, why wouldn’t conditioner work to clean your hair? And, for that matter, your wool? I’ve been cleaning handknits in conditioner for years . . . and since it’s conditioner, it doesn’t have to be rinsed out, which leaves my knits extra soft and smelling nice. V05 Kiwi Lime is still my favorite, though their new Tea Therapy Vanilla Mint, both available at the local drugstore for a couple dollars,works really well. And they cost a lot less than the Wen products. (Though I’ll admit that I’ve tried that and like it, too. On my hair. It’s a little pricey for washing socks.)

Now, a couple other links for you:

Did you hear that Jody is launching her very own online magazine, Knotions? Good luck, Jody!

I have to say that I love Ysolda’s newest pattern, Verity, a lovely, slouchy beret–look how fabulous it looks–and with her curls, too.

And, you DID know that today is a Sentence, right? I posted about it over at Punctuality Rules.

• Tags: General, Hair, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Dirty Socks // 13 Comments »

One of these things is not like the other….

• Tags: Chappy, General, Hair • Permalink:After // 10 Comments »

Yes, I got my hair cut today. No, you’re not going to see a picture just yet. Right now, frankly, my hair looks terrible, but that’s because of the styling–I think the cut is going to be fine. My hair never looks good the day of a cut, and by the time the stylist has finished cutting and adds some gel or whatever kind of styling product, it’s really far too late for it to absorb properly into my hair, and just weighs it down. I won’t really know until tomorrow, or even Monday, how good a cut this is, but I think it’s going to be fine. Meanwhile, I took a picture from the chair while she was over rinsing out some highlights on another client. I must say, this is the first salon I’ve ever been to that had crystal chandeliers. Very nice “feel” to this salon–stylish without being too “edgy,” like that salon in August that I really didn’t like.

After the haircut, Mom and I stopped at Nonna’s to look at their button collection. They don’t have a large collection, but since we were parked right across the street, it seemed silly not to at least stop in and look. I’m glad we did, too, because I like this one. It’s mostly gray, but with a hint of blue, and it looks great on the sweater. Since this pattern only uses one, big button, it needs to be a good one, and I like this one! That doesn’t mean I couldn’t possibly find something better, but at least it’s here and ready to go and what more do you need from a button?

I am concerned about one thing, though. The pattern states, for the “ribbing” (which is actually garter stitch and would usually be called front bands or button bands) to cast on 79 stitches and knit 6 rows. Which I did. Except . . . the picture of the actual sweater shows that front band being a lot wider . . . it looks like there are at least 8 garter ridges there, under the button. So, I’m wondering if it was a typo and should have read 16 rows rather than 6. And, anyway, I think that’s what I’m going to do, any how–I like that wide front band.

But then, also, the pattern has you knit the band, ending with a few rows in a contrasting color that will be removed after the band has been sewn on . . . but what if I just picked up the stitches along the front? Instead of doing it separately? Although, part of the point would be that the transition from front to band would be seamless, and picking up the stitches clearly would make a seam. I’m not sure…. I’m also not sure I love the idea of a snap, either. The pattern calls for the sweater to be closed by a single snap, with the button sewn on just for show … I’m playing with the idea of making it a real button band instead … There are only a couple of these completed on Ravelry (link here, if you belong to Ravelry), so it’s hard to get other opinions on this. What do you folks think?

Edited to add: I just heard back from Yarnholic on Ravelry (one of the two other people to finish this) and she worked off of the French pattern and it said “19 rows / 6 cm” . . . so obviously my translation took the “6″ from the width and the word “rows” and made up something new (grin). She also picked up her band stitches along the fronts AND did button holes rather than a snap. (I say holes-plural because she decided she didn’t like the original placement and moved it, having to redo the entire band in the process.) Meanwhile, tonight, I finished the collar, sewed the shoulder seams and set in the sleeves, leaving the sleeve seams and side seams still to go . . . and, obviously, reknitting the button bands…. Okay–back to the original post…

My last Spunky Eclectic fiber of the month package arrived today. “Snow Squall,” in Icelandic Wool. I love the blue/green/gray combination and, I must say, it coordinated beautifully with the blue/gray outfit I’m wearing. As did the couch and throw pillows in the waiting area at the Salon. You know, it’s SO important to be color-coordinated.

Now, of course, I’ve mentioned the Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm CSA a number of times, but today there’s a new twist. Mom belongs to a group of die-hard Carly Simon fans (Carly, of course, lives on MV), and she mentioned the MVFF on her blog the other day, and one of her fellow Carly fans was so moved by the idea of something special from Marthas Vineyard that he bought one of the Fall shares. Even though he doesn’t spin. Or knit. That’s devotion for you! He said in the e-mail he sent Mom, ” I’m a nut. And no, I haven’t a clue what I am going to do with my share (LOL)… any suggestions??” What do you think, folks? Got any ideas for him? He lives out in California somewhere, so it’s not like we’re exactly neighbors to be able to help him out. He has a couple of friends who knit, though, so that’s something, but . . . what would you suggest?

Thanks for all the compliments on yesterday’s Eye-Candy Friday. It really IS a gorgeous quilt, isn’t it? I just wish I could claim it as my own work, but that’s just not practical (or honest). I CAN make a quilt, though. Several, even, see?

• Tags: Family, General, Hair, Knitting/Spinning, Martha's Vineyard • Permalink:Stylin’ Saturday // 11 Comments »

It’s a nice little Karmic twist, actually. So, you know how I ended up with four skeins of extra yarn that I didn’t really need? Well, they cost just about the same amount as a WooLee Winder bobbin. Like the ones you see here.

There are two because I had ordered an extra bobbin for my Majacraft back in July, but it didn’t come and it didn’t come. I sent a couple e-mails to Nathan, but didn’t hear anything, but still, I was patient. For six months. Then, last week, I sent him another e-mail basically begging just to hear from him–if he was truly that backed-up making bobbins, fine, but tell me! He apparently felt so badly for me that he not only got my bobbin out in the mail to me pronto, but it brought along a friend. Wasn’t that nice?

Needless to say, my Little Gem is very excited about this. I know I am! And, that’s two nice things that have come in the mail this week, which is even better. And the fact that the money kind of balances out between the unneeded yarn and the bonus bobbin makes my checkbook feel a little happier, too.

And, here–a pre-haircut look at my hair. To give that girl from November what little credit she deserves, she at least didn’t butcher it. She added so LITTLE shape to it, that they layers are nice and long, which will give the (hopefully competent) stylist on Saturday room to maneuver. The shortest layer (if you can call them layers) that I’ve got comes past my chin, so it’s not like she’s going to be trying to salvage some sort of style from a couple inches of hair. Really, she’ll basically get to start from scratch.

And, jeez, my hair looks so DARK!

Now, today’s old-time reminiscing from the early-blog-days? The arrival of my Lendrum. My Brooks Farm shawl. And my tribute to Katy and to our two Dachshunds.

• Tags: General, Hair, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Balance // 8 Comments »

So, my Phildar Cardigan is just zooming along now. Here are the two front bands, completely done. No, really. I know they look a little odd, but each one is ended with a few rows of knitting in a contrasting color. They’ll be sewn directly to the fronts of the sweater and then the waste yarn unravelled, leaving it essentially seamless. And that’s the collar, just cast onto the needles, too.

Um. So, it turns out I over-reacted a little when I was so sure I was going to run out of yarn. Which means I now have four skeins too many.

Oh, well! The collar should be done tomorrow night, the sleeves are blocking right now. I’m afraid that they’ve stretched … except that I had the same fear about my Olympic Sweater when it appeared to have grown dramatically when I blocked it and it turned out to be fine, so I’m trying not to worry. If they’re too long when it’s done, I’ll put a hem at the cuffs, and that will be that. All that’s left, really, is to assemble the pieces. And, oh yes, I need a magnetic snap and a snazzy button, too. Because it doesn’t really button. Unless, of course, I decide that the snap is too much work and just make it button anyway (grin). I think it would look good either way, right?

Still, though, I’m kicking myself for panicking and ordering that extra yarn. That’s almost $40 that I would rather have kept in my pocket!

Chappy’s being very supportive and understanding, though. Doesn’t he look wise and caring? Not to mention particularly handsome. I had just taken that yarn picture and he was over by his crate, chewing on his nylabone. I walked around and told him “Come on, let me take your picture. I haven’t taken your picture in ages.” Because usually, you know, he turns his head away from the flash, just to make it challenging for me. And not only did he not turn his head, he posed beautifully. I know I’m biased, of course but I just think I have the handsomest dog…. (grin) It’s a GOOD picture! Even if he does need a haircut. Well, you can’t really tell in that picture, but, trust me.

Speaking of which, I made an appointment for a haircut on Saturday. I really can’t wait to get this cut, that haircut in November was so bad. I’ve told you my hair woes before, and don’t think I need to go into it again. I opted to try a salon a little closer than Fair Lawn . . . because while that would be handy for coordinating visits with Risa and Jessica, with my luck, every time I’d schedule a haircut would be a day when they’d have family things to do, or be sick, or out of town, or busy doing something, in which case that’s quite a trek for a haircut. Anyway, I’m going to try the Lounge, which is where Kim goes. I grilled the receptionist about the skill of the “level 1″ stylist because I really don’t want to pay for the owner to cut my hair (grin). Although one of the owners DOES have curly hair herself, so it was seriously tempting to try her, but that’s an extra $25, and, well, I have all this extra Karabella Aurora 8 yarn now….

And, hey–Becca was nice enough to nominate my reading-meme blog, Booking Through Thursday, for a Blogger’s Choice Award. Any chance you’d like to go over and vote for me?

• Tags: General, Hair, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Oh, Well! // 8 Comments »

Unveiling. Here you go, a look at my modelled Peacock Stole.

Up-do. (And no, I don’t usually put this many different things in my hair on the rare occasion I try to put it up, but I thought it would be fun to be extravagant with the accessoris for a change.

  Unusual Lunch. A Honeycrisp apple with peanut butter. It’s one of those combinations that sound strange–and I normally don’t even like peanut butter very much–but I’m telling you, this, you have to try. The crisp, juiciness of the apple against the sticky, nut flavor of the peanut butter . . . such a great combination.

  Uncharted Territory. Yes, well, some adventures work out better than others. I felted my bag today, and while it went mostly well . . . um . . . as you can see, the two sides did NOT felt evenly. Granted, I deliberately made one side a few rows bigger than the other, so they would overlap when they were closed, but, um . . . the handles WERE the same size when we started…. I have absolutely no idea what to do about this! It’s possble that, once dry, the uneven SIDES will actually be fine and the difference in felting not particularly noticeable . . . but the handle is going to be a problem (grin). Maybe I can fold the long one to match and put a buckle on it, like I’d meant it to look that way all along? (Suggestions welcome–and I DID try hand-felting it to get it smaller, but I just don’t have the serious hand-strength to accomplish that. Even the original swatch for the bag . . . hand-felting and I do NOT get along.)

Underwear (well, sort of). Jane wanted to see creative pictures of my handknitted socks, so . . . here you go. Sock Art.

  Unheard of! Yes, here’s my knitting bag. Completely empty, at least for the moment. Although, I do have a pair of socks panting to be knitted, so . . . I won’t have empty needles for long!

• Tags: ABC-Along, Finished Knitting, Hair, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Uneasy // 21 Comments »

  Here’s the very beginning of my next batch of spinning–the Good Vibrations roving I got last week. You’ll note that it’s on my Woolee Winder, which I finally have functioning again (phew!) Really, though, I need at least one more bobbin from them . . . either that, or a bobbin winder and some “temporary” bobbins. Because two is just not enough!

Yes, I AM spinning these as nice, familiar, worsted singles. I could try woolen, it’s true, but . . . well . . . I need something nice and familiar to follow up that learning experience.

Hey, this is a solid, psychological tactic–you let the mind work toward something familiar rather than something new. This is why (and here’s a tip if you ever find yourself required to memorize the Declaration of Independence or a speech or something), memorization is easier if you start at the end and work towards the beginning. One sentence, paragraph, couplet or whatever at a time. If–disregarding the “sense” of it–you start with the very end and then little by little memorize the parts that come before, as you recite, your brain will always be working into familiar territory. The hardest part will be the very beginning, but as you recite, it will get easier and more comfortable the further you go.

I mean, everyone (American, at least) remembers the beginning to the Declaration (”When in the course of human events….“) but who remembers the ending? (”And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”) Ditto the Gettysburg Address (”Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” versus “It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us–that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for
which they gave the last full measure of devotion–that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain–that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom–and that government of the people, by the people,
for the people, shall not perish from the earth.“) or basically anything you may have been required to memorize back in school. The beginnings are easier to remember because they’re what we learned first.

I caved a bit today. I took Chappy to the vet where (surprise!) they prescribed an antibiotic for his skin infection while not being able to state why he has it or how to prevent recurrances or explaining why he’s losing fur in spots where the skin is perfectly clear. Gosh, really, I’m just so surprised (grin).

But, see, here’s the thing. I do feel a bit like I caved, instead of standing by my belief that too many antibiotics are bad and that there should be a gentler way of treating this. And yet . . . after almost a week of medicated and/or moisturizing baths, ointments and sprays on his skin, extra supplements in his food, and so on, I haven’t noticed any change for the good whatsoever. And while he hasn’t seemed miserable, still . . . so . . . he’s on a different antibiotic and I’ve got my fingers crossed. Good thing he’s still getting Stonyfield farms yogurt in his food, huh? Now, I’ll just have to wait for that fur to grow back…

But, on the plus side, I, at least, am having a fabulous hair day. I tried two different things from my usual routine of scrunch-out-the-water, scrunch-in-some-gel, and let-it-air-dry-without-touching. First, I put in some AG re:coil, underneath the gel, and then I put my hair in a “pineapple” last night. This is something I got from the forums at Naturally Curly.com, and is as simple as putting your hair into a loose ponytail right at the top of your head before going to sleep. It keeps the pillow from crushing out the curl, and the gravity from pulling it out . . . and looks something like the leaves on top of a pineapple. I must say, I will definitely be trying this again–even if Chappy does laugh at me!

Now, I have to go comfort Mom . . . apparently, somebody thinks her wedding-gift cross-stitch looks like a dead chicken, and really, she’s quite upset…. (grin) (Okay, more like mildly indignant….)

• Tags: Chappy, General, Hair, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Good Hair Day // 15 Comments »

Slightly odd picture, it’s true, but here’s my FO for the weekend. An adorable little baby kimono sweater which I started Friday night and finished this afternoon. All that’s left is finding and sewing on some ribbon as a tie at the side. This sweater really IS just too adorable, and so fast! Why didn’t anyone tell me that baby-knits are so quick and satisfying?

It’s a good thing, too, because I’ve been doing a lot of reading and knitting this weekend, because I’ve been spending a lot of time on the couch next to Chappy and his new best friend, Harry the heating pad.

It’s hard to say HOW Chappy’s feeling. He refuses to answer when asked, and yet he’s been happy to spend almost the entire day right next to me, preferably with the heating pad on his back. He’s walking around just fine, but won’t jump up onto the furniture or run up the stairs. (Down is no problem, it’s up that he’s reluctant to do.)

And yet, I can tell that he’s tired of not feeling well. You know how it is when you’re sick or sore or whatever–for a day or so, you can accept it, and sit calmly, waiting for the magical healing to occur. Take naps. Avoid chores. Get a little extra attention. As long as you’re not too miserable, it’s not that bad . . . but after a couple days, it’s old. You just want to feel like yourself again. That’s where Chappy is–he pounced on one of his toys before, and even asked for a walk by sitting outside the laundry room and staring at his leash. We went out on the deck for a little while, and he happily walked around, sniffing things . . . but then, reality would set in and he’d be like, “Oh, my back,” and go crawling back to me and Harry for the magical heat and TLC.

I’m surprised this has gone on for so long, and really wish he had shown some signs of this at the vet on Thursday. You know, so the vet wouldn’t have looked from me to the bouncing, eager, happy, dog, and back with disbelief as I explained how he was walking stiffly, panting, reluctant to lie down . . . “This dog?” the look said, “Well, okay, I’ll examine the back, but really, it’s clearly a waste of my time.” Did Murphy have a rule about car engines not making noises at the mechanic? Because that law clearly has a corrolary of dogs (and presumably cats) at the vet. No doubt infants, too. (”Really, doctor, she wouldn’t stop crying, and she had purple stripes all over her face not half an hour ago!”)

Is your dog cool? A public service announcement. Because other than the good, artificial heat focused on Chappy’s lower back today, it’s been hot outside. Not quite as hot as I think they were forecasting (upper 80s, and relatively low humidity for July in New Jersey), it’s still hot. As in, dangerously hot for dogs and children left in cars. Even 10 minutes can be too long–none of you would ever do such a thing, right??

And, oh yes, I’m not the only one in the family with a finished object today. After months and months of under-the-breath cursing, Mom finished this cross-stitch project. She hasn’t ironed it yet, and it’s not laid flat, but . . . it’s awfully pretty, don’t you think?

Oh, and sorry, no pictures of my hair today. It’s not looking its best anyway, what with spending almost the entire day on the couch, but I think this haircut is fine. Certainly I haven’t been wincing every time I’ve glanced toward a mirror, which is a good sign! The hair color I used two weeks ago, though? I won’t be using it again. It’s not an obvious thing, but if I look under really good light, I can see where the old color ends and my roots of two weeks ago begin. And the old reddish-brown is showing through a lot more than it was a week ago. I’ve seen reviews since I used it (I really should have looked beforehand, huh?) that it fades pretty quickly, doesn’t last like a permanent color should. So, next time, I’ll probably go back to L’Oreal Excellence, or maybe the Preference (which always gets good write-ups). I mean, this isn’t a horrible color, and I DID say I missed the red, but still–permanent colors should not be fading this much, this fast . . . that’s kind of the idea behind the “permanent” color!

• Tags: Chappy, Family, General, Hair, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Sunday, With Heat // 15 Comments »

It sounds like the title of a cheesy mystery, doesn’t it?

But no, it’s just my Saturday Sky picture. It’s been a gray, hazy, hot day here. There’s been a little sun, but there was also a passing rain shower. Really, just not the most pleasant of days.

The best part of the day (most of it), was the fact that Chappy woke up feeling like himself. Happy. Bouncy. Cheerful. Playful. All those good things. It was great.

Until about 4:00, when he started panting and pacing again. I gave him some more baby aspirin and tried to get him to sit with Harry (the heating pad), but he hasn’t been a happy boy for the last couple of hours. In fact, just now? I sat down in front of the computer, plugged in the heating pad and called Chappy . . . not only didn’t he come up the stairs, but he gave a little whimper. So, naturally, I went down and carried him up the stairs. I’m sitting here right now, Chappy leaning against my leg with the heating pad on his back, getting pets behind his ear, while I type this post one-handed. How do you explain to your dog that he should take it easy? Not jump too much? To enjoy the fact that he’s feeling better but NOT to do anything to set it back? Like any one else, he’s just so happy to feel better, he doesn’t worry about the consequences. (Of course, dogs are notorious for that, anyway. It’s people who fret over what-ifs from the past, and consequences of the future.)

Anyway, hopefully this will pass, too, and he’ll feel better tomorrow again, for the whole day (I hope!)

My haircut? It’s hard to say until tomorrow, when I’ve had a chance to wash and style it f,or myself, but at the very least, I can tell you she didn’t cut it too, too short this time. Even allowing for curl-spring tomorrow. How do I know? Well, I met our mail-carrier at the mailbox this afternoon, and while we were chatting, she said, “Your hair is getting so long!” Now, obviously, it’s looked longer this afternoon because all the combing and cutting pretty much pulled out all the curl–for today. No doubt it will look shorter tomorrow . . . but it certainly didn’t look that much longer than it usually does!

Of course, Chappy didn’t have much of a chance to nap earlier, either, because the landscapers came to install the new, tiny, tiny shrubs. (Okay, it’s not so much that they’re tiny. They’re just tiny in comparison to what we had.) Two, sculptured Alberta Spruces by the front door (like brand-new baby cousins of the massive ones taken down yesterday). And then a small, wispy cherry (I think) at the far corner, and a tiny red-maple by the other corner (at the edge of the brick section). Really, they look lovely, but they seem so small!

So . . . what do you suppose this architect had in mind? I noticed this window on my drive to work the other morning. Look closely. Do you see what’s on the other side? A door. Nothing but a door. But why?? From the other side, it looks like a closet, but you open it up . . . hello. It’s a window. A door. A window. Really, what’s the point?

Oh, so I was going to use one of my Summer of Stash exceptions today. I want to make a pair of Ugg booties as part of my baby gift, and really, have no qualms about buying two skeins of Suede yarn to make a gift. I mean, really, that’s not stashing at all!

So, the plan was to get my haircut, and then walk over to Nonna’s to get the Berroco Suede. I felt quite good about it, too. I like Nonna’s shop, but they usually have more novelty yarns than I really like. But here was a yarn they carried that I needed, so I was happy to buy it from them. Also, I got a flyer in the mail the other day–they’re celebrating their first birthday at the end of the month, with a sale, but I won’t be able to go, since I’ll be in Maryland that weekend. However, there was a survey which, if brought to the store before the end of the month, is good for a 15% discount–so I could not only buy the yarn, but on sale, too! Really, a guilt-free, win-win situation.

So, my haircut only took half an hour, and I was out on the street. But, wait, does Nonna’s open at 10:30? Or 11:00? Hmm . . . better to play it safe. I was right in front of Mara’s coffee shop, so I stopped there for a few minutes. Bought some coffee, a cookie, and sat there doing some knitting until about 11:15. Then I walked to Nonna’s and . . . there’s a sign on the door. “Nonna’s will be closed on Saturday, July 15th.”

Sigh.

Oh well, there’s still time! In the meantime, this picture shows about half of my first baby project–the little baby Kimono from Mason-Dixon Knitting, which is coming along VERY quickly. (Especially since I’m using a heavier yarn than the pattern calls for, and being me, obviously, have a looser gauge anyway.) I’ve decided that what I’m going to do . . . because this cute, quick pattern was too irresistable . . . is make a sweater for the newborn (this one, obviously) but also a sweater for about a one year-old, using the same yarn. Cute, huh? Baby knits are so nice and fast anyway, so it’s not like it’s going to take me a long time–and in fact, less than a blanket would–but this way there’s a gift for right away, but also one for later, when the baby has outgrown all the cute, infant things she’s bound to get at the shower . . . which is also at the end of the month, while I’ll be away. (It seems, really, to be a very popular weekend.)

Now, I’ve got to go rinse out my hair. I’ve got a deep-conditioner in it and have been sitting here all this time with one of those heated, microfiber turbans on my head, while Chappy’s sitting under a heating pad. Because, of course, what else would you want to do on a hot, muggy, heat-wave afternoon? Thank heaven for air conditioning. But . . . hmm . . . I wonder if the turban would fit on Chappy’s lower back? No electric cord necessary . . . .

• Tags: Family, General, Hair, Sky • Permalink:Grey Beyond the Clock-Tower // 2 Comments »

First things first (of course, though there’s knitting to come, I promise). Here’s the birthday-boy posing with his new toy.

I gave him this toy–a Zodiac Scorpio*–at breakfast this morning, and he’s been playing with it all day. And when he’s been resting, he’s been keeping tabs on where the toy is. When we came upstairs after dinner, I brought the toy with us, and he played for over half an hour. In fact, when the toy bounced out into the hallway at one point, he tackled it, turned to the full-length mirror in the guest room doorway and paused for a minute, as if he was thinking, “Man, this toy mkes me look good!” We tossed it downstairs, and he slept with it by his nose while Mom and I were watching TV. When we came upstairs at bedtime, he hunted all over the bedroom (forgetting it was downstairs) and didn’t relax until I went downstairs to fetch the toy for him. (It IS his birthday, after all.)

It was right after I brought the toy back upstairs that he posed for this picture. All the other times I’ve tried to take his picture today, he’s been ducking his head away from the camera flash. But this time? He looked right at the camera and smiled. He’s a happy boy!

As well he should be. He was lucky enough not to be alone all day. He got to play in the backyard with me at lunchtime. He got a walk after work. He got pot roast in his supper. He got a cupcake-with-peanut-butter for dessert. (Though we spared his ears having us sing the Happy Birthday song.) He got a homemade, made-by-my-niece biscuit when I made my evening cup of tea. He got lots of extra kisses and attention. All in all, it’s been a good day for him.

Ironically, I woke up this morning dreaming about newborn puppies, but really, I’m just happy to celebrate five years of Chappy. Do you want to see how incredibly cute he was when he was a baby puppy? Check out last year’s tribute.

And, you can see my hair in this picture, even though it’s pulled back. A shade darker than it was, which isn’t that big a deal, but the color is “golden brown” rather than “reddish brown” and I’m not sure how I feel about that. I keep thinking the color looks flat. (I don’t really see the “golden” part, but that might be because it’s still the first day after coloring–it usually takes the color a few days to settle.) But anyway, I’m missing the warmth the chestnut color loaned my face. This really IS very near my natural color, but I liked that red tint. Maybe next time I’ll use the 4R Dark Auburn instead of the 4W Dark Golden Brown. Unlike many dark red-brown shades, it doesn’t have that ugly burgundy tint to it, so . . . possible! I don’t dislike it, mind you, and I think it looks fine, and I won’t be hiding under a hat for the next 4-6 weeks, but . . . that doesn’t mean a little tweaking wouldn’t be a good thing.

Now, for what you really come here for–the knitting.

Not only did I knit on my Peacock Stole . . . I’m kind of hoping I’ll be able to finish the first half this weekend, (and I’m really hoping my skein holds out) . . . but I did both heels on my Calla Lily socks. Again, I used a short-row heel rather than the one in the pattern. I used the yarn-over method by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts (illustrated here by Purlwise, link courtesy of the fabulous Toes and Heels site by Lauri B).

They’re looking wonderful, the yarn is gorgeous and a joy to work with. Now, two feet, a couple toes, and we’re done!

* Oh, and why, you want to know, did I give my July-born dog a toy for a November Zodiac sign? The answer is that I gave him his own Crab a year or two ago, a toy he loved, but it’s not like I could give him the same toy twice, right? So the second time around, i got him my own birth sign. It’s even got that handy little tail working as a handle. He’s happy; I’m happy. S’all good.

• Tags: Chappy, Family, Hair • Permalink:Happy Day // 7 Comments »

Here you go. The last picture of Chappy as a four year old. (Hey, I know. Some of you don’t care, whoop-de-do, he’s having a birthday, but I care.) (grin)

So, what do you think? Does he look more like a cute, little 5 year old boy? Or like a 35-year old man? (You know, if that whole 7 to 1 year ratio works.) Personally, I’d put him in his 20s….

No progress photos of anything to show you. I started the last chart for Peacock: First Half. I worked on the apparently endless Stockinette stitch for Green Gable. I haven’t actually turned the heel on my socks yet. That’ll probably happen tomorrow.

Tonight, I colored my hair, trying not only a new brand of hair color, but a new color (a dark golden brown, closer to my natural color, minus the gray, rather than the medium reddish-brown I usually use). Risky, huh? Two changes at once? It seems so dark without that reddish tint to the brown, but not necessarily in a bad way . . . and of course, the hair color has killed the curl for a day or two until my hair recovers from the shock. I’m thinking a pony tail might be the way to go tomorrow…. Still, the stuff smelled a lot better than usual, and my hair doesn’t feel as fried as it usually does after being colored, although I still plan on doing a deep-conditioning treatment this weekend. (The fact that I’ve planned on doing that for several weekends now and haven’t gotten around to it means nothing!)

Here’s a fun little Flash game, Samorost2. (I admit I got stuck in the cave and cheated.) The graphics are amazing, though.

Oh, and for a little more fun, here’s a little typing test. (Americans, at least, should recognize the text, too.) My time the first time I took the test? 112.18 wpm with zero errors . . . but really, that seems awfully inflated. I think I’m a whole lot closer to 60-70 wpm than I am over 100! But then, for that short a period of time? Well, okay. It’s the stamina thing that gets me into trouble, I suppose, speed-wise. On average, I think I’m closer to 55 wpm for long-term typing. Either way, I enjoy the typing test kind of thing once in a while.

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Booking Through Thursday

This week’s questions were suggested by Christine.

1. Do you read non-fiction books for pleasure, not counting books required for courses or for work?
   You bet I do! (You saw the non-fiction section of my “library,” didn’t you?
2. If so, what areas of non-fiction interest you the most? If not, why not?
   History comes in at number one, I guess. Followed by historical biography, books on writing, cookbooks, knitting books, physics, science, stuff on the Apollo program, essays . . . Really, I’ll read almost anything.
3. What are some of your favorite (or least favorite) books from those areas?
   “April 1865″ by Jay Winik was magnificent. The David McCullough’s “John Adams.” “The Discoverers” by Daniel J. Boorstin. “Guns, Germs, and Steel.” “Seabiscuit.” “Bird by Bird” by Ann Lamott. “Natural History of the Senses” by Diane Ackerman…. Really, I could keep going, but….

• Tags: Chappy, Family, General, Hair, Reading • Permalink:4 and 364 // 15 Comments »

Well, Chappy got his hair cut today, and his wasn’t nearly as drastic as mine!

(He’s here, saying, “Hurry up and take the picture, Mom, so I can go to bed!)

We trimmed around and under his ears. We trimmed the fur on his toes. We trimmed the “feathers” on his legs. We trimmed that wacky topknot of his on top of his head. I didn’t touch the length on his sides or his back–it is winter, after all, and he needs some extra length, right? Though that’s no need to look scruffy!

Oh, and I got one or two comments yesterday that my hair didn’t look that short? Well, here’s what mine looks like today–after its usual wash, dry, sleep, etc. You’ll note how much shorter it looks than it did yesterday after the haircut. (Because yesterday, the curls had been combed out and didn’t get a chance to clump and curl. This is with its usual curl. Dramatically shorter.) I’m going to try to stop looking at that “before” picture anymore, though–it’s just making me depressed!

Now–Olympics Training. I have my swatch, done and washed two weeks ago. I’ve got my pattern written out, with numbers crunched, so that’s ready to go. It’s been the color patterning that’s been causing me grief and procrastination. But I think I’ve finally got that nailed down. The interesting part, though? I bought three colors of yarn, and the geometrics I lined out only use two. Bizarre, huh? Can’t help but wonder what on earth I was thinking! But . . . this layout–doing vertical design along the yoke rather than horizontal–makes me happier than the patterns I’d been playing with so . . . Maybe I’ll jut use the gold at the neck and wrist ribbing.

I’ve gotten a lot done on my shawl, too, though I haven’t bothered to photograph it in days . . . I’m at row 95, but except for being bigger, it looks remarkably similar to the last time you saw it, so . . . you’ll just have to take my word on it.

I’m really astounded at the people doing lace shawls for the Olympics. As much as I love lace, it takes me a while–it just doesn’t fly like stockinette, or even cables. The thought of doing a sweater in 16 days is a little intimidating, but seems doable, but almost any lace shawl? No. (Notice how I’m conveniently forgetting how I got my Flower Basket Shawl done in two weeks?) But isn’t that part of the fun of this Knitting Olympics thing? Reading the list of projects, and seeing what is a sufficient challenge for all the . . . um . . . knithletes? Athelknits? Olympiknits? . . . whatever you call them . . . I’m awed. What an adventurous lot we are!

• Tags: Chappy, General, Hair • Permalink:Two Bits // 10 Comments »

So, why don’t hair stylists listen when you tell them you just want a trim?

I’m not saying that I got a bad haircut today, because I think she did a good job. But, I distinctly remember saying I wanted to keep it long.

So–before I left this morning, my hair looked like this, on the left.

After I got home, it looked like this, on the right.

Not exactly a “trim.” Rather more dramatic than that, don’t you think? My hair hasn’t been this short in over a year, since I decided I wanted to grow it out. I’d say she took off more than the 1-2 inches I asked for, huh? (Especially when you consider how much length is taken up by the curl.)

Still, it appears to be a decent haircut, and the length will grow. And my hair never looks good on the day of a haircut–after all the combing and snipping and sectioning and more combing, I have more frizz than curl. So really, I won’t be able to see how good (or bad) this haircut is until tomorrow morning. Right now, it’s dry from my evening shower, but still clumped with gel . . . it will look completely different once it’s been slept on (grin).

(And yes, I know, most people love the way their hair looks the day of a cut, after being professionally styled, and then complain they can’t get it to look that way themselves. Really, I’d much rather have this problem–put up with one bad hair day and then style it the way I want it the rest of the time.)

Of course, with this stylist, my hair was once this short (May 2004, on the left).
Which, thankfully, I had grown out this far (right) by Christmas that year. Really, early 2004 was the shortest my hair had been since the misguided Princess-Diana haircut I had my freshman year of high school, in, what was it? 1981? I suppose every 20 years I go a little crazy with the haircuts!

Still, I’m not actually complaining. After all, my hair did need a trim . . . right? And really, this is probably way more than you wanted to know about my hair . . . (grin) What you’re really here for is the knitting, right?

I did get a fair amount done on my socks today. about an inch and a half (that’s 4 inches to my hair stylist) of the ribbing.

I decided to do ribbing instead of something fancier, but I’m doing a cabled ribbing for just a little extra flair, or whatever. Not just plain 2×2 ribbing.

Here’s a close-up.

I’m hoping that I’ll get these socks done this week . . . a sentence at which I’m chuckling. I only started them last weekend, and I’m hoping to finish them this week? For heaven’s sake, my last pair took me five months, and these may be done in less than two weeks? Astounding.

But, really, I’m hoping to get them done by, say, Thursday. Because of course, the Olympics start on Friday at which time, no knitting is going to be done except my Olympic knitting. But the socks are really going to look so fabulous with my Olympics sweater, I want to have them done and ready to wear for the first time I wear that sweater . . . hopefully on February 27th!

• Tags: General, Hair, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Chop! Chop! // 11 Comments »

I could just go for the obvious: C is for Chappy, but that’s kind of Cheating, don’t you think? (Besides, he’s in a couple of the photos, anyway.) So . . . here you go!

C is for Coffee. Always an excellent way to start the day. Mom and I went out to do some (unfortunately unsuccessful) Clothes shopping this morning, and stopped for coffee at Starbucks–which, um, was successful.

C is for Collar. After we got home from the non-shopping, we got Chappy dressed to go out.

  C is for Car. Then we all–even Dad–got into the car and went to the park. This is particularly exciting because (1) we haven’t been to the park since October and (2) Dad has never once come along with us!

  C is for Creek. At the park, Chappy dipped his paws into the little stream that runs along the path, but only for a couple seconds. I saw a hint of ice in one spot, and the water must have been Cold!

  C is for Chocolate Curls. Naturally, after romping through the muddy park, Chappy needed a bath, to be nice and Clean. Here’s my hair and his hair . . . we really do look an awful lot alike, don’t you think? Especially when I tell you that any red in my hair comes from a box?)

  C is for Carton. When he wasn’t resting from his long walk and the arduous bathing process, Chappy played with his favorite toy–a “recycled” milk Carton. He just adores these!

  C is for Conditioning. Of course, I couldn’t let Chappy outstrip me in the beauty department, so I gave myself a much-needed deep-conditioning treatment for my hair. I pulled out my self-heated micro-fiber hair cap, popped it in the microwave, and boom. Instant heat.

  C is for Challenger. The 20th anniversary of the space shuttle’s explosion. (Well, the first space shuttle explosion.) I was in college, sitting in my dorm room after lunch, before heading off to my afternoon Poli-sci class, and one of the girls went running down the hallway. “The space shuttle exploded!” I turned on my grainy, rabbit-eared television and just sat in stunned silence, watching the news until I had to leave. My first real experience with media-fed tragedy. I still remember that moment so clearly, too.

  C is for Complete. And yes, I finished my sweater, with the appropriately-named Copper button. Yes, I thought a lot of those buttons would have worked. And really, if I could have figured out a way, I would have used all of them, but . . . ultimately, I thought this was the best one. Some of them were a little too flimsy and plastic (which you can’t tell in the photos, of course), some weren’t quite the right color (too brassy to go well with this orange-red), and ultimately–this one works the best, I think. The color is such a perfect match, and yet it’s got that interesting cut-out design, as well as a good, solid feel. Besides, as much as I love a really fabulous button that will “pop,” in this case, I can’t help but admit I like the subtler button best.

Which leads us to C is for Congratulations. The winner to my second button Contest is Kate. Not only did she pick the button I liked best, but her reason was definitely the most entertaining! (With a nod, there to Kathy B, who tried her darndest by bringing Chappy into it . . . she’s tricky, that one!) Congratulations, Kate! (I’ll need your snail-mail address, please, so I can send your prize!)

And, last but not least, C is for Cindy. It’s my friend Cindy’s birthday this weekend. We’ve been friends since . . . well, we sort of new each other in high school, but our friendship really started about a year or two after college, when we ended up working at the same office for a while. (In fact, I still work there–it will be 15 years in about three weeks.) Not only is she one of my best friends, but her Corgi is Chappy’s very best friend. I dropped her birthday present off with her mother this afternoon. (Her Mom’s condo is in the next building to Cindy’s, and they’re both right next to the park–very Convenient!) Go on over and wish her a happy b-day, huh?

• Tags: ABC-Along, Chappy, General, Hair • Permalink:Conglomeration of C // 5 Comments »

Finally, I’m off of sleeve island!

Okay, it doesn’t look like much right now, but give me a chance. I did only just barely finish casting off about ten minutes ago. Lots of ends, curling on the bottom hem . . . yes, yes, all of that. But the important thing is that the knitting is done.

And that, hopefully, all the pieces will fit together properly. I completely winged the sleeve cap shaping. It might work, it might be completely wrong, but what can I say? It’s not like I could follow the pattern! Tomorrow I’ll weave in all the ends, and perhaps even sew in the sleeves, which will be challenging. There are, you see, no shoulder seams. Instructions state that you just pin the front and back edges together, sew in the sleeve, and then secure the shoulders with buttons. Which, of course, I still have to buy. And then, cross my fingers that it’s going to actually FIT.

The downside? Look at all the yarn I have leftover!

It’s one of the advantages, I suppose, to having such a drastically different, bigger, gauge–Fewer stitches, fewer rows equal less yardage. But three full skeins (and a fraction) left of the main color, and about one and a quarter of the contrast color. I’m not sure what I’ll do with it, though no doubt I’ll come up with something. I knew that there would be leftovers, mind you, because of the gauge issue, but for some reason surprised at how much is left.

Anyway, hurray, hurray, calloo, callay. The knitting is done! It’s not a FO yet, but it’s darn close. Two sleeve seams, (buy and) sew on some buttons, some blocking (that, please, will fix that hem roll on the bottom), a couple loops to hold the buttons together . . . Not only am I through the tunnel, but I see the parking lot approaching.

Or, rather, to keep my metaphors unmixed, not only am I off the island, but I can see the marina up ahead. There’s a pina colada over there, calling my name.

Oh, and my hair today? As I expected, bad curl issues this morning after I woke up. Remember, yesterday, I completely forgot to add gel to my hair–nothing to encourage the curls to stay together while sleeping. So, I did something I haven’t done in a long time. Years, even. I french-braided my hair this morning before going to work. It’s really kind of gratifying to know that I haven’t lost my knack. (And before you ask, taking the picture of the back of my head was harder than doing the actual braid.)

• Tags: General, Hair, Knitting/Spinning • Permalink:Change of Scene // 10 Comments »

Don’t ask me how, but somehow,when I got out of the shower tonight, I completely forgot to put gel, or styling product of any kind in my hair. Heaven only knows what it’s going to look like in the morning, after sleeping on it all night. It’s too late now to try to add anything. (The cardinal rule of curly hair is you don’t, ever, touch or brush the curls while the hair. It just breaks up the curl clusters and causes frizz. So the chance to add gel pretty much disappeared as soon as I opened the bathroom door.)

Oh well! On the plus side, I’ve finally started the sleeve cap on my USMP sleeves. I’ll have to do some math tomorrow, to calculate how to do the shaping for the top (since, again, completely different gauge for both rows and stitches). But still–it’s close. I’ve been pushing to get knitting done lately, though, because it’s really starting to bug me, having four active projects. I want it down to at least two again! But my hands are just a little sore from the extra hours of knitting over the long weekend. I barely spun last night at all, my left forefinger was so unhappy with that whole pinching thing.

Next, though, I need to find buttons for the sweater, and the only place I know of is the Ragshop–not exactly the most elegant of buttons. Anyone have any good, online suggestions?

Also on the plus side, I got this lovely new pair of shoes today. I love the color, and like them–not quite “old lady” shoes, but a nice, vintage kind of look. I admit, though, that they weren’t my first choice. That would have been these. Boy, that pair is just gorgeous! But there’s no way I can justify that price. But wouldn’t they look great with my Peacock shawl?

That shawl, incidentally? I finally got around to rewashing/reblocking it this weekend. You’ll remember that it was really too long. When I wore it to Tim and Betty’s wedding in August, it kept getting caught on the heel of my shoe, and its front corners touched the ground when I’d put it on in bare feet. I wasn’t sure how much I’d be able to alter the size by reblocking, but it was certainly worth the effort. I soaked it in its mesh bag in the washing machine, spun out the water, and then laid it out on the floor. I put blocking wires in the top edge and down the center to keep them straight, but otherwise, just laid it flat. No extra pins. No extra pulling. And it is a couple inches shorter. It’s still a large shawl, but at least it doesn’t look like it’s in so much danger anymore!

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Now, lastly, I’ve been tagged by Amy for a rather novel (ahem) meme:Take the first 5 novels from your bookshelf….then do the following:

1. Book 1 - take first sentence
2. Book 2 - the last sentence
3. Book 3 - second sentence on page 100
4. Book 4 - next to last sentence on page 150
5. Book 5 - Final sentence of the book.

Make the five sentences into a paragraph. Feel free to cheat and make it a better paragraph. Name the sources and then post.

So, here we go:

The drama unfolding in the field below seemed so improbable that it could have been nothing more than two groups of players preparing a performance—the duel that would bring down the curtain on the first act. It was hard to believe that when, on the first of May, everybody went away, even after they had got to the bottom of the hill and passed through the iron gates out into the village, they could still smell the acacias. Meanwhile, they watched in astonishment as the little knight tugged his sword out of the scabbard and began brandishing it violently, hopping up and down in rage. Lucinda could not keep the laughter from bubbling up. Walking away, I reached Lexington Avenue, turned south and—the yellow lights of Gramercy Park waiting at the end of the street—I walked on toward Number 19.

1. World Without End by Sean Russell
2. Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Armin
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling
4. The Alleluia Files by Sharon Shinn
5. Time and Again by Jack Finney

I didn’t actually take the first five novels–they would all have been the same author, and where’s the fun in that? But they are random books that I just grabbed by some of my favorite authors. (They’re on the bedroom bookcase–they have to be favorites.) All in all, the paragraph works remarkably well considering that three of these stories are Fantasy books in completely different worlds, one in early 20th century London, and one time travel book.

• Tags: Family, General, Hair, Reading • Permalink:A Novel Meme // 8 Comments »

A bird tried to commit hari-kari using our kitchen window this afternoon. I was just taking a break and making a cup of tea, when, thud! The poor thing (no idea what species) managed to flutter onto our deck and panted heavily for a minute or two, getting more and more still, until it slumped over to the side and then didn’t move at all. I watched the whole thing from the window, feeling sadder and sadder about it–such a stupid way for a bird to die. After watching for a few minutes, I turned away to pour my tea water, glancing back over my shoulder . . . wait, the angle looked different. Was its head in a different position? I hurried back to the window, and it was! The bird was sitting upright, moving its head from side to side, very obviously not dead. Feeling better about it, I took my teabag out, and carried my mug over the window, telling the bird that I wasn’t going to be happy until I saw him fly away, and after a few more minutes, it did. I don’t know which of us was more relieved, me or the bird.

Chappy–except for one brief, “What’cha’ doin’, Mom” check-in while I was standing vigil–ignored the entire incident. Not because he wouldn’t have been interested to get a closer look at the bird. (It landed just outside of his “bathroom,” and if he’d gone outside, he certainly would have been able to get some good whiffs, though I’m sure the bird wouldn’t have apppreciated it.) But instead, he was playing with a long-lost toy. The one he grabbed right out of the huge pile of toys I dumped onto the family room floor before. It must be two years ago that I split his toy collection in half. I put half in a bag stashed in the guest room closet, and left the others out, intending to swap them out after a few months.

Okay, actually, I admit that the plan was that he would only have about 5 toys out at a time and they’d be swapped almost weekly, but that very quickly became impractical. But dogs, you see, are just as happy to get an old toy they haven’t seen in months as they are to get a brand-new toy, and I figured that way he’d get that new-toy excitement every week (or couple of months) with no real work on my side . . . but, um, well, that bag was in the closet for about two years . . . Mom and I have talked about it, but have never both had the inclination at the same time to weed out the “good” toys. Until today.

Today, Mom and Dad went up to my sister’s house for the afternoon. Chappy and I were invited, too, but since I had a whole slew of chores I wanted to do AND since everything would be impossibly muddy after the 6.5″ (yes, over six inches) of rain we had yesterday and therefore he (and I) would get filthy going out for his bathroom needs . . . we opted to stay home. Not only did I do the usual Sunday things–laundry, cleaning the bathroom, dusting and vacuuming my room–but I tackled some projects I’ve been putting off. Like that basket of Chappy’s toys. And adding a splitter to the tangle of cables going amongst the cable box, VCR, DVD-recorder and television so that we can record one show on the VCR while watching something else via the cable box. You know, like Extreme Home Makeover and West Wing tonight. (I even labled all the cables so I’ll know where they’re going in the future.)

I also went through my yarn stash . . . sort of. I mean, I did go through it. I even sorted a whole lot of it into large, white mesh laundry bags for a little more organized keeping. (Sock yarn in one, lace yarn in another. A bag for Miscellaneous. A bag for Kid Silk Haze–yes, you heard right. An entire bag stuffed full of knitter’s crack. That kind of thing.) What I didn’t do, but really need to, is weed some of it out. For example, I have way too much Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran yarn. I love it, but I have enough for about four sweaters, and I just don’t think that’s going to happen. I also have a nice collection of Manos wool which I keep telling myself would make a great afghan (the colors are perfect for my bedroom), but that’s been sitting there for far too long now, and . . . well . . . it’s unlikely. On the other hand, there’s a sweater’s worth of Rowan Calmer which isn’t going anywhere; nor am I willing to get rid of my Rowan Wool & Cotton (that dates back to when they still used the ampersand in the name). But there are miscellaneous balls of yarn that are either leftovers from other projects or things I’ve been gifted that I just don’t see myself doing anything with (lovely though they are), but certainly don’t want to throw away. (Re-gifting is one thing, trashing entirely another.)

And the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran I was hoping I’d be able to use for that cabled Karabella cardigan? No, apparently the gauge is completely different. Which is a shame, because I’ve using lighter-weight yarns lately and was thrilled to finally find a project for that yarn, and . . . nope. It’s going to languish a while longer. Although–it’s confusing. The gauge on the pattern calls for 24 stitches over 4″. But the Aurora 8 yarn the pattern uses and the Cashmerino Aran both say 18/4 . . . unless all the websites I’m looking at for the Aurora 8 are giving the wrong gauge? Or is that gauge over the cabled pattern of the sweater, not stockinette? I’ll have to check that when I get up. Maybe it would work, after all? But I’m leery–I tend to knit loosely to begin with–that kind of a handicap right off the bat . . . ?

Maybe what I should do is offer some of this yarn for trade, or for sale, huh? It’s all good yarn, just . . . sitting. The Jo Sharp alone fills up an entire storage bin, and even I think that’s kind of crazy, no matter how much I like the yarn. (Hmm, I wonder how my secret pal would feel about getting a box full of Jo Sharp…?)

Anyway, the rest of my day? I colored my hair–something I’ve been badly in need of for the last week or two. One of these days I must remember not to wash my shower walls before I color my hair. It’s unfortunate that the reddish-brown color I use looks (very unfortunately) rather like a bloodbath by the time I’ve gotten it all out of my hair and then, of course, I’ve got to wash the walls again! For supper, I mixed some leftover mashed potatoes with two eggs and ate that (cooked, of course) with a side salad and a fresh-baked corn muffin studded with walnuts and chocolate chips. Pretty tasty!

Next question: is Chappy going to sleep on the bed tonight? Last night, for the first time ever, he opted to sleep in his crate rather than up on the bed with me. No idea why . . . he couldn’t be mad at me, this is two days now that we’ve spent entirely together . . . too much togetherness usually isn’t something a dog exactly disapproves of!

• Tags: Chappy, Family, General, Hair, Knitting/Spinning, Weather • Permalink:Hari-Kari // 7 Comments »

  I did something today I haven’t done in years.

Really. Years.

I wore my hair in a ponytail.

I’d forgotten how very bouncy that feels!

I have a couple “rules” about ponytails–the hair has to be a sufficient length that the tail falls past the nape of the neck. If it’s too short, the hair doesn’t move, and I’ve always thought part of the appeal of ponytails is that special swing. Another rule is that bangs–if you have bangs–have to look “right,” and when I have them, I usually wear them long and swept to one side . . . and then they usually look pretty silly with the rest of the hair pulled back. Now, what used to be bangs are about jaw length, and can reach the back of my head (and the curl helps it all stay together back there, too.)

So, there have been reasons that I haven’t done this style in years. My hair’s been shorter in the last year or two than it has been since the early 1980s, thereby not passing the “length test.” Then too, ponytails can be damaging to the hair–if you wear them to often, they can cause breakage at the elastic–and of course they’re terrible for curls, pulling and flattening them out.

It’s silly, no doubt, to get excited about wearing such a basic, easy hair style–one worn by little girls, teenagers . . . people of all ages, really–but it was fun. I spent most of the day turning my head with just that little bit extra flourish to feel the hair brushing against my neck, and walked with some extra bounce in my step. It looked surprisingly nice, too, and even though I secured it with one of those snag-free elastics, I was able to wear a pretty, silver slide over it, to make it look even nicer.

What can I say? It’s silly, but it felt good!

  Speaking of bouncy, spirally, twisty stuff . . . Here, we have a picture of my pretty teal-shaded singles from the roving that Lizzy B sent me last May. I’ve been spinning them onto my Kundert spindle–it seemed appropriate because she was waxing rhapsodic about spindling at the time I started spinning this, so I figured I should use my drop spindle instead of my wheel.

I wasn’t sure how much I’d be able to fit on the spindle, but think I wound it off at just the right time–it was getting just too heavy and the yarn kept breaking; nor was it spinning for as long. In fact, after I wound this off onto the niddy-noddy, I just started a fresh piece of wool on the spindle, so I’d have something I could pick up later on, and I couldn’t believe how long it spun and spun on one twist. The weight was clearly slowing it down!

  A closer picture, and remarkably accurate for color, all things considered, but there should be just a hint more green in there–it’s a little more teal than blue.

I soaked the singles in the sink with a tiny bit of shampoo and more conditioner while I took my shower . . . What’s that you ask? Conditioner? Yes, that’s what I said . . . Um, what? Why? Well, I’m kind of in the middle of telling . . . oh, okay. I conditioner-wash my own hair about every other day instead of using shampoo, and you’d be surprised at how clean it can make your hair. It doesn’t need to be as thoroughly rinsed as shampoo, either, and so a year or so ago, I started using it whenever I washed my handknit sweaters. It’s not like they get that dirty being worn around the office or the house, so a good soak in conditioner-laden water pretty much takes care of it–and then doesn’t require as many rinses as soap or shampoo would. I figure, hair and wool are pretty similar, and if this works on one . . .

So, anyway, yes, I put the tiniest bit of shampoo into the water, and then a good dose of V05’s Kiwi Lime clarifying conditioner (great for washing with and cheap, to boot) and let the singles soak. They are now hanging–with a weight–off the rack in the bathroom. I lost count as I was winding them around the niddy-noddy (and anyway, forget what size that is, anyway) so I can’t tell you the yardage. It’s less than half the wool, though, and pretty fine. Definitely enough for some kind of lacy scarf–just like Lizzy suggested! I’m thinking that I’ll try knitting it as singles instead of plying it. I’ve never tried that, and am curious as to how “energized” it will look.

I mention a lot about how unsatisfied I am at the color quality of my pictures–yarns almost never photograph the way they should, and I’m getting frustrated. I’ve got a good digital camera, a Nikon Coolpix 3100, and it’s only a couple years old (three, maybe?), but . . . I think I was happier back when I used my old Canon Elph–the original model. It was a great little camera, but I “upgraded” to the Nikon for something lighter (that Canon was