Its-a-Left-Knit-Life

Busy, Busy

2007-06-04T09:37:00.000-04:00

Well this last week has been uber busy! We didn't get as much done as I would like but my house should be fulled re-arranged and spring cleaned before this weekend! yyayaya!!

In the mean time we worked out butts off this week and yesterday lil' J arrived from MI! lil' J is my step son but I hate calling him that. Usually I just call him my son, or my other son when just chatting with others. He is awesome and we all get really excited when he comes for the summer!! I always get so excited that I don't sleep much the few days before he gets here so I'm happy to say I slept pretty good last night..lol.. He came in at new airport about 3 hours from us, so yesterday was a very long day.

Today I have loads to do, I need to go grocery shopping and go to the post office and still do some work on the house, can't stop that or it won't get done and I would be stuck with a half finished house..not good..lol.. I have piles all over, bags of clothes that don't fit the kids (I've washed everything in site and everything out of our drawers!), toys that they don't play with, bags of just school papers that we didn't need anymore (I went through and kept certain art projects and stuff)...

We are very lucky here where I live that every few months we get blue bags delivered (for free) from the sanitary station and we can recycle each week with our regular trash. It's an awesome program and really appreciated! In fact our whole sanitary station is great down here. They pick up all sorts of things we would have had to pay and arm and a leg for up north. I should send them a card!! :c)

Anyway, I gotta go, but wanted to check in with everyone in B-Land.

Ohh and yea, I think the picture and the yarn WAS just me.. It does kind of look like the picture, I hadn't seen them side by side until I put the picture up here. The only thing that really got me was that in the picture I swear the yarn looks like it has gold, not yellowish/greenish.. O'well, I guess I will keep it and see how it knits up, I may love it afterward. lol..

I hope everyone had a great weekend!!

April in SC

Recent Talk About Yarn..

2007-05-30T08:39:00.000-04:00

There has been recent talk on my very favorite groups (socknitters of course) about On Line sock yarns. So far the reviews have been really good and the colors look oh so wonderful and very perfect for a project I have in mind..

However, I'm a bit scared to buy more. I have one single ball that I bought a few months ago. I also mentioned a few posts back (umm, yea, more like a few months back!) that I would like to trade this ball of yarn for equal value of another sock yarn or something anyway. I paid $6.75 for it on sale at Littleknits.com

My main concern is not the yarn itself, it feels fantastic. It's that the picture did not at all look like the yarn I got, and I did double check the label. I got online (summer I think?) color #787. Here is what it looked like in the picture at little knits, its the bottom one:

And here is what I got:

I don't know about everyone out here in B-Land, but this does not look the same per-say. The yarn I got was WAY lighter than what the picture showed and unfortunately that shade of greenish/yellow does not look good on me, its similar looking, just a lot lighter than I anticipated. Its not that it's bad, it just doesn't look that great on me, hence why I would like to trade it. ( I have cats and dogs by the way, and birds, although none of them have been near the yarn really)

Has anyone else had this problem with On Line sock yarn? Should I be scared to buy more? Was this a fluke or should I just look at the yarn as always going to be lighter than the picture?? At least for this brand??

Any comments or offers would be appreciated. :c)

April in SC

Frog, Ribbit, Frog, Ribbit!

2007-05-30T01:00:00.000-04:00

Well I've been SO busy with my wonderful new sock yarn that I KNOW I've horrible about contacting my SP10.... However....I LOVE YOU SUNNYME!

This yarn is just fantastic, I totally love it....Unfortunately I love it so much that I've frogged it like 4 times now. It's like NO pattern is good enough for this yarn! Yea, its bright and dark at the same time, yea, it can't take anything that is to fancy, BUT, it deserves something special darnnit, and it WILL have it!! LOL

So I just got done froggin' it back yet again and I've decided that although it may not look the best of the best, I'm going to go ahead and use the Baby Cable Rib from the Sensational Knitted Socks my SunnyMe got me for my birthday. I tried the Garter Rib and didn't like it, and I tried Jaywalker and didn't like it either (not to mention that a size smaller than was recommended still looked like it was going to be to large for my foot). I also tried two others and none looked that great. I have no idea why I'm fighting a nice plane sock, but something just tells me that this sock wants me to do something special with it, and *I* like the Baby Cable Rib.. So I'm using it! :c)

Okay, so I've re-Cast On and I'm on the big 4th row of the 2x2 ribbing..lol...But I feel confidant this time. And for anyone that is wondering, this Jitterbug has held up REALLY well to all my frogging!! I just couldn't be happier... Thank you again SunnyMe!!!!!!!!!!!

Other than knitting we've just been really busy around here the last week or so. We are getting ready for the yearly explosion of having 6 children in the house, the end of the school year and spring cleaning. We've all been working our little bottoms off.

Rhy has learned to scoot across the floor and go from couch to couch, and room to room to play with his sister.. However, he scooted just a bit to much today while I had my head stuck in papers and rubbed the heel of his cast off, or at least the first layer...sigh... I should have KNOWN to not take my eye off an almost 8 yo boy who is scooting through half the house.. What was I thinking?? Well he won't be doing much scooting now, and he also over did it and said his leg was hurting tonight, first time in over a week now..

Ire just got a does of Children's Motrin because she said her ear hurt. We will see in the morning if its still hurting, and if so I will have to take her to the doctor. The last time she kept complaining about her ear hurting she had a huge, hard ball of wax stuck in it..Over all I was thankful that it wasn't an infection. So I guess were just waiting to see if its still hurting tomorrow.

Brit, Rhy's bigger sister (my oldest who will be 17 yo in June, the day before Rhy's 8th b-day) has shown him how to play the card game Go Fish, and has been playing with him. Course he spent half the night cackling tonight because he beat her....again...lol...

Ire our funny and youngest girl is such a hoot. She was sitting on Brit's legs the other day while Brit did some sit-ups and she was having a hard time holding her feet down, so she stood up and said to her big sister, "I'm just gonna have to work out my butt so it will get bigger, than I can hold your feet down." ONLY out of the mouths of Babes I say! And this was a light funny from her! LOL

Well I better get, I was so busy cleaning and than taking a bit of knitting time that I forgot to feed the cats, they haven't forgotten though and are reminding me thoroughly of my duties!

Oh, yea, Brit's friend signed Rhy's cast and drew a Mickey head on it. I thought it was awesome for a quick free-hand. Here is a pic:

I hope everyone had a great weekend!!

April in SC

Tomorrow is Friday, Thank The Heavens!

2007-05-24T23:11:00.000-04:00

This week has been..umm.. interesting to say the least. Rhy finally got his cast on (think I told you already, it was Monday), we had to move our old futon out to the living room so he would have more room and J wouldn't have to sit in a camp chair..lol..

I've been lifting him all week, plus his wheel chair and let me tell you, its awful! Last night I swore I was going to the ER for my neck, but I hate going to the doctor and I hate feeling like I'm whining so I just went to bed. I have an appointment for the 20th and I'm on the cancellation list to get in earlier, so why go the ER?? Either way, I'm SO glad tomorrow is Friday and I won't have to lift that darn wheel chair into the back of my truck until next week, and even then there is only 3 more days of school..

Ire has been doing all she can to either be annoying to her brother, or over helpful. Its like she can't make up her mind if she wants to be nice or mean...lol... For the most part she's helpful and I'm thankful for that.

Rhy on the other hand, is already bored, and I'm already feeling it. I keep asking him if he would like to learn to knit, but he keeps turning me down, but I keep telling him he wouldn't be bored anymore! lol Who knows, maybe I will get him to learn yet. ;c)

So we moved our old futon back into the living room. It wasn't just so our whole family could have a place to sit. Mainly it was so Rhy would have more room. The nurse who put his cast on told us that the more he could lay on his stomach the better he would be. All the weight of his leg is now on the heel of his foot, and it has been known to create sores under the cast. By keeping him on his belly we take that pressure off his heel. The futon is much deeper than our regular couch so he has room to stretch out, watch tv, color, have more toys around him and Ire can sit with him to play.. Over all its was a good thing and I'm glad I didn't get rid of it when my mother told me to last summer..lol.. Doesn't Rhy have the skinniest leg ever?? I'm sure he will fill out....one day...lol...

In my free time I did a swatch with my wonderful Colinette, Jitterbug I got from my SP10 Sunnyme. I'm getting 9spi and I finally think I've decided on a pattern, I'm going to try and hope it looks good. Its from the Sensational Knitted Socks book that Sunnyme sent me. Its on page 37 and the pattern is Baby Cable Rib. I'm not sure if it will look good, but the pattern looks light yet fun. I can't say how excited about I am about this yarn, and the yarn she sent for my birthday. I'm saving my birthday yarn for a special pattern, its variegated but its so light I think I might be able to do something a bit more challenging. I think I will wait for that until school gets out so I can give it more of my attention. :c)

As for pictures. I'm a few days behind, these were taken a few days ago and I'm just getting them up. I now have my gifts and yarn pics from Sunnyme on my camera along with some pics of my Lornas Laces finished Maman socks and just need to get it loaded onto my desktop computer, than onto my flash drive, then onto my laptop...unfortunately that always takes me a few days to do.. I'm a bit lazy that way...lol...

Well I've been trying to get to bed a bit earlier than normal, and I also want to get my new Jitterbug sock CO. So I'm going to go for today. I hope all is well with everyone in B-Land and that you all have a great weekend!!

April in SC

My SP10 Did It Again!!!

2007-05-23T17:35:00.000-04:00

OMGosh! She did it again.. My Sunnyme has striked again when I needed it most, and lavished me with such gifts that I have been so busy finishing my Maman Socks so I can CO on again that I haven't even been able to post here!!

She sent me some of the most beautiful smelling tea candles that I don't even want to light them because I will miss the smell when they burn down.. She also sent me some bath beads, bath body wash, a make-up bag with cherries on them and another little cloth bag that I can't even say how cool it is AND it just happens to fit my sock knitting! Woooohoooooo!!!

And she sent something else.. what you ask?? She sent even more than that you say?? YES, I say! She did!! She sent me a skein of colinette jitterbug, in the jewel #54 color way... All I can say is WOW! Now this is not a color I would have normally picked for myself, but it is 100% what I NEEDED! I don't mean that in the sense that I have been ogling a pattern that this yarn fits, or that I have a special project planned. I mean it as in, I need more color, I need to be thrown out of my comfort zone and have someone show me that, yea, you can work with color and not only is it okay, but it looks great to. AND SHE HAS DONE THIS. I am SO in LOVE with this color, I can't even imagine only ever having one skein! I will need to buy more, as this color will need to be on my feet more than once a week! LOL

Sunnyme, you are more wonderful than you know, you are sharing things with me and opening me up with such small things but in such big ways. I don't even know how to explain without sounding totally insane, but your awesome and I thank you very much!

Okay, so now that I'm done being mushy *wink*... I will get pictures of everything I got because I can't not share, and I finally knit myself senseless and finished my Maman socks, so they will be coming soon.. In the mean time, here is a pic of the yarn taken from an Internet picture.....and I need some serious help in finding the "right" sock pattern -- so bring on the expert opinions!!

And I can't tell you enough times how this picture doesn't even do this yarn justice in the picture, its some of the most vibrant and luscious colors I've ever seen, and I LOVE the feel of this yarn!

In other news, Rhy my son got his cast put on Monday morning, and its not as simple as I had hoped. Since the buckle fracture is by his growth plate at the end of his bone the doc is pretty sure that some damage was done to the growth plate even if its not visible. So he will have to wear his cast for a full 6 to 8 weeks. :c( So we got him a wheel chair and he went back to school Tues. I have to drive him and pick him up, get him in and out of our truck, take his wheel chair in and out of the back of the truck, get him to the bathroom, help him dress (shorts and cast sock) and all that good stuff. My neck is killing me, I'm tired, and of course Ire my youngest had to have her two front bottom baby teeth pulled today. Her adult teeth were starting to come in behind her baby teeth and although the baby teeth were wiggly, they weren't coming out. Rhy has another doctor appointment on June 1. My step son arrives on June 3. Brit my oldest goes to her dads for a week on June 2nd I think. Rhy has a dentist appointment on June 11, and I have a doctor appointment on June 20 unless there is a cancellation. And finally we will have all 6 children home with us by the second weekend in June... So everything is super busy here, but I swear this ~ I will knit some socks with this fantastic yarn my Sunnyme sent me! -- So there :-P LOL

To be honest, I've already started my swatch.. Looks like I'm getting 9 SPI, but I need to knit a few more rows to be sure.. Lovely, lovely yarn!!!!

I don't have any updated pics of Rhy with his red cast on, but here are a few of him laying on the couch over the weekend with my kitty Voodoo laying all over him... Which Voodoo doesn't usually do, I think he knew Rhy didn't feel good and wanted to make him feel better. :c)

Please ignore the mess, we were still moving things and getting him comfy.. :c)

And here is my first colorwork thingy...aka...Rhy's cast sock... Not the greatest, and I was just playing around, but it sure was fun!! I can't wait to make some more... knit play is great! LOL

NOT a Good Day!!

2007-05-16T23:26:00.000-04:00

Well, school is out and you would think I would have more time to blog, but the thing is I've been sitting here doing a bit knitting, cleaning a bit and pickin' my nose....sigh... I'm BORED already! I have gone back to school because I want a good job, I want to get out of the house and as much as I love the fact that no matter how slim we lived my fiance wanted me to stay home, but I don't want to do it anymore. All our children are in school all day and I need adult human interaction!! LOL So I've been kind of bummin around wishing I was back in school, I had purpose then, more purpose than the next load of laundry anyway..lol..

So I wake up today, mosey around the house a bit and just feel generally restless, don't wanna watch tv, don't really want to knit (although I'm almost done with my Belle Maman socks), don't wanna be in front of the computer, or play with the birds...just restless and all over the place not doing much of anything.....When I get a call...

The school nurse called and during gym another little boy ran into my son. It was a simple run in, not one they would normally even write an incident report over, but my son couldn't put weight on his left leg, after icing and rest..

So off I go into my truck and go down to the school (thank goodness its only about 2 miles or so) and walk in. Sure enough he's sitting on a chair super upset and has an ice bag on his upper thigh. So I walk him through what happened, where it hurt and how much. The nurse said she palpitated the area and couldn't feel anything broken, no muscle swelling or tightening.. she did a good job, but still he would not walk or put weight on that leg..

Honestly? I've been here before and my son only has that look or acts like that when something is wrong (which the nurse wouldn't know of course)... So all I really had to do was look at his little face and I KNEW something wasn't right. So I pick him up (umm...by the way.. this was NOT good on the neck and although he is thin for his age at only about 45 pounds, he is tall for me and going to be 8 yo next month!)...and I carry him out to my truck, and get him in the BACK SEAT no less. I'm feeling pretty good about that since my truck sits pretty high up off the ground and I have to heft my little 4'11" into it...

Anyway, I get him in the truck, call my aunt who thank goodness happens to be in my town shopping with a friend (she lives about 30 min from my town) and I go and meet her where we transfer my son out of the truck and into her much more manageable car and off the emergency room..While driving there I'm calling our oldest daughter (16) to let her know why I won't be home when she gets there, and of course call his dad because I'm almost positive that no matter what we will need some shorts when we leave because his jean are probably not going back on..

We get to our hospital and of course they are AWESOME!! They have the BEST child's ER ward with the BEST doctors and nurse's!! They X-Rayed his left thigh and sure enough he has what's called a buckle fracture (easy explanation) or torus fracture (more technical explanation) right above his knee on the outside of his left thigh bone. From what I've read it should heal pretty fast, the easy explanation said about 3 weeks. However the way they talked at the ER he will be in a FULL LEG CAST probably a bit longer. We don't know yet. So he's in a full leg splint right now and goes to see the bone doctor Monday morning and we'll find out more then.

Until then he is in a splint from toes to almost his groin area, he can't put any weight on the leg so I will have to carry him around everywhere and to the bathroom....one time to the bathroom this evening and I can tell you already, this is not going to be fun!!

It could be much worse though!! And he has been a real trooper through the whole thing, very calm and easy going as he always is. We were in the ER, they gave him some pain meds but still he looked over at me and said, "I love you mom"....awww, it could have broke my heart! He is so wonderful and I'm so thankful it wasn't anything worse!!

So after the ER, being the trooper he is, he decided to go to walmart with us to get his meds, so his dad carried him in and plunked him down into a wheel chair and off we went. After a day like this we got him a movie (Night at the Museum) and some McDonald's!

Here is my poor boy about at his limit while we picked up the meds at Wal-Mart

My SP10 Strikes AGAIN!

2007-05-09T12:07:00.000-04:00

OMGosh! You all are NOT going to believe what my SP10 sent me!!! She said she had a small birthday present she was going to send me but that it would be a little late. Honestly I was thinking the Fantastic card she made me was enough, ya know? But ohhh noooo, my SP10 Sunnyme had to spoil me more and send me a BEAUTIFUL skein of SOCK yarn AND the Book SENSATIONAL KNITTED SOCKS (insert squeel cause the name is in all caps..lol)..

My FIRST sock book and one that I had recently descovered that I REALLY wanted! Can we all chant "OMGosh, OMGosh, OMGosh, OMGosh"???

To tell you how excited I was, I have been glued to this book and have almost rubbed the darn skein back to its orginal form, heck, you could almost put it back on the sheep. ;c)

Thank you Sunnyme!!!! And honestly that seems SO inadequate, a simple thank you... just doesn't seem enough!!!

Along these lines, has anyone else found that since finding knitting they can get emotional about it? Not in a bad way but a good one?? Maybe its just me right now in my life, but I have been getting a bit emotional over my knitting. I got this skein and book from my SP10 and I just sat thare stunned, I could feel the tears welling in my eyes and I thought to myself, "what the heck? You don't CRY!"... LOL I of course bucked up and held my tears in so my family didn't rush me to the emergency room thinking I was dying - lol - but its not the first time I have found myself in this situation - then again, maybe its just an SP10 thing since I am convinced I have the very best one. :c)

I will get pictures up soon, and I warn you now, NO slobbering on your screen or key pad, it will seriously mess it up and your computer won't work right after that. I've been their and its a serious problem. ;c)

I hope everyone had a good weekend and later today I will be sure to post a boring post about what else has been happening over here..

April in SC

My SP 10

2007-05-03T12:03:00.000-04:00

Dear Sunnyme,

I received your package in the mail a while ago, and I know that I emailed you and shared how excited I was (and J to --lol--), but I haven't shared how wonderful you are with everyone here in B-Land.

I still can't believe how wonderful you are! I love your emails, your personality is just fantastic, and your just fun to talk with! I always look forward to your emails and reading what you have to say!!

Your package was filled with so much love and with things I totally needed and didn't even realize it until I opened everything! I haven't dug into my special bath stuff yet, I wanted to wait until my cold went away so I could smell it all. Its gone now and WOOHHHH, everyone better watch out at my house now!! lol

Here is a picture for all of you to see how much my SP10 (Sunnyme) has spoiled me rotten! Don't get jealous now, you might get her next time, but for now she's mine! Muuuahhh ;c)

Other things:

School is finally over! Yayaya!! I got a horrible, horrible cold the last week and it just wiped me out! I'm not sure what I got as grades haven't come out yet. I "think" I got an A in Anatomy and Physiology, A in medical Terminology, B in Math, and probably a C in English but I am really hoping I will slide with a B. Of course I could be way off on any of them!! But I'm hoping..

I would like to give a BIG HUG to ALL the people who have supported me this last few months... Of course Sunnyme, NancyMaria, my Aunt Sarah and my Parents have been real supporters among several Others and I REALLY appreciate it!! It really got me through and helped me push my self when I was starting to slack because of kids, house, cars not working, and all that good ol' daily living that side track you...

As for knitting, I finished one sock using my Lorna's Laces (pictured in a very early post), using THIS pattern and have cast on for the second. I frogged back a few rows on Jack's Austermann sock because I found a hole, and now I'm on the toe decreases! Finally!! lol I can't wait to get these done! Soon I will probably be doing some baby socks and maybe something else for a neighbor of my Aunt who recently helped her and is expecting their first grandbaby..a little girl! I'm not sure what I will do besides socks, so if anyone has any ideas or pattern links, please pass them along! :c)

Well I better get going, I have something I will be sharing soon in another blog and I have to go take care of it... ;c)

April in SC

Just the List..As I Check it Off...

2007-04-15T13:30:00.000-04:00

I think it will be easier to check off what I've done in a post of just the list and updates. :c)

What's left before Tues???

A/P:
~~15 question to still look up~~
~~3 short Essay questions to do~~
7 654321 labs to write up
5 DONE labs to finish (as best I can since we didn't cover some of those labs in LAB class) oh and that means ~~5 more labs to write up~~
7 6 5 4 3 21 Extra Credit essays
possibly 2 critical thinking "things" to write up

Med Term:
~~Take home test~~ Done
~~Study for test on Tues~~
~~Study Abbrev for quiz on Tues~~ (days: Sat/Sun/Mon)
~~Extra Credit for chapter on test (which is the 80 question review at end of chapter)~~
~~Extra Credit for chapter test on Tues (80 questions)~~

Math:
~~Study entire chapter 7 for test on Tues~~
~~Last of homework for chapter 7~~

English:
Write up 3 21 essays for class essay on Tues. In this class he gives a list of possible "6" essays, but he will only pick 3 and we don't know which ones until we come into class, so I like to pick at least 3 and write up a ruff draft or the entire 3 before hand, although its not necessary to do.

Makin' My List, and Checkin' it Twice.....

2007-04-14T01:20:00.000-04:00

Updated list, Sat night....2 more days to get everything done... and still no knitting, been almost a week...starting to feel weak, think, having, withdrawl....lol

Tonight I'm using this as my check off list, course I have "check off lists" running around my house every where! But for this weekend the more the merrier, anything and everything to help me remember all I have to cram in my brain. :-)

I have 15 questions left to look up out of 130. Course it took me all day to look up all the rest since it was almost all information that was NEVER covered in class...yup, we never went over it. So I had to go through 15 chapters that we never even talked about in class! I suppose we are suppose to have gone over those chapters in the course but heck, we only made it to chapter 10, and at that we won't have time to test on it.....at least that is what he said, that doesn't mean that is what he'll do...sigh.....

What's left before Tues???

A/P:
15 question to still look up in
~~3 short Essay questions to do~~
7 labs to write up
5 labs to finish (as best I can since we didn't cover some of those labs in LAB class) oh and that means 5 more labs to write up
~~7 Extra Credit~~ 6 Extra Credit essays I can do (which I will, the can be short though)
possibly 2 critical thinking "things" to write up

Med Term:
~~Take home test~~ DONE
Study for test on Tues
Study Abbrev for quiz on Tues (did do that today/Sat)
Extra Credit for chapter on test (which is the 80 question review at end of chapter)

Math:
Study entire chapter 7 for test on Tues
Last of homework for chapter 7

English:
Write up 3 essays for class essay on Tues. In this class he gives a list of possible "6" essays, but he will only pick 3 and we don't know which ones until we come into class, so I like to pick at least 3 and write up a ruff draft or the entire 3 before hand.

So anyone gonna wish me luck?? LOL IF I get a 90% or above I don't have to take the final in A/P and I'm SO hoping to get this!! In Med Term if we get 80% or above we don't have to take the final either, that should be easy...its the A/P I'm worried about! So I need to make sure all this stuff is perfect before I turn it in...and I admit I'm under pressure for a bit of it because I waited to do it (extra credit stuff)...I have no real excuse except the teacher is so all over the place that his class is difficult...would be different if he was actually teaching the class...... O'well, I'll get it done.. it looks like a lot in the list but honestly its not to bad. This will be my "worst" weekend in an entire semester, seriously that is not bad!

I probably will not keep posting a new list as things get done....I will probably just edit this one and cross things out....

OH and I have NOT knit ALL week. I'm totally freaking out as I keep rubbing my socks and holding my needles!! LOL If I get enough work done between the rest of tonight (yea right, its 1:30am) and tomorrow I "might" take some knitting and knit for awhile at my aunts before dinner...maybe...we'll see...

I hope everyone has a great knitting weekend!!

April in SC

Happy Easter!

2007-04-10T23:29:00.000-04:00

Okay, I'm a few days late but Happy Easter everyone!! I hope your day was beautiful!

We had a good Easter here, the kids woke up and did a little Easter egg hunt in the house. It was cold outside so we didn't do it out their this year. Than they found their hidden baskets and then proceeded to eat a bunch of candy. :c) Jack even got me 2 chocolate bunnies!

So I'm gonna back up just a bit...I had talked about a small project I was working on last week and it was a scarf. It was a super easy pattern that went by very fast, it was called the Mock Cable Scarf and can be found HERE . If your ever looking for a VERY nice pattern that is fast and easy this would be the one, it came out great, unfortunately I only got one pic of it and its a super goofy pic, I hadn't brushed my hair at all yet and just the way I had it wrapped around made me look like a goof ball.... However, I can laugh at myself so here it is. :c)

By the way, long ago I talked about not being able to decide if I should get the glass's that showed my funk/librarian side...Well I did, and I'm wearing them, course I was laughing so they were falling off, I need to get them adjusted!

To show off a bit better pic of me, here is one that is a little better, the kitty is my beloved Voodoo.

As for socks, I didn't get to knit much on any of them last week but I am working on THIS pattern with my Lornas Laces, it kind of picked this pattern and I guess I will save the other one for another sock yarn that says its okay. I'm just picking up gusset stitches on the first sock. On Jack's Austermann sock I appear to have a hole and can't find where I dropped a stitch, so I haven't worked on that until I get a good pic and see if anyone can help me, maybe this weekend, if I'm lucky......wait until you see my school load this week!! Thank goodness only 3 more weeks left!!!

So if I'm MIA for the next few weeks you all know its because of school and finals and all. Here is my homework load from now until next Tuesday.

Anatomy and Physiology:

Read 2 chapters and do review sheets before Thursday ~ Do 3 chapters in work book by Thurs. ~ Over weekend I have about 4 lab reports to do and 4 or 5 works sheets to complete (20 Q's each)

Medical Terminology:

Do note cards for abbrev words ~ study 2 chapters before Thurs for tests ~ And study over weekend for test on Tues.

Math:

Homework before Thurs, homework on Thurs and some extra over the weekend, and get ready for a test next week and review for upcoming final.

English:

Work and finish 3 essays this weekend for essay on Tues, study for test next Thurs.

Okay, so that doesn't look like much but it feels like it!! LOL And I keep feeling like I forgot something in there, thank goodness I have everything written down!!

Anyway, its midnight and I'm going to finish up a bit of homework before I go to bed. I hope everyone has a great rest of the week and gets some knitting done for me!! :c)

April

I must say....

2007-04-06T03:59:00.000-04:00

I don't care where the darn string bow came from..it was the coolest thing!! ;c)

Having said that...I now need to get to bed...its 4am!!!!!! What am I doing??? LOL

However, I leave with you a song for the day...or at least one that fits my present mood..

Beyonce Flaws and All

My Secret Surprise!!!

2007-04-05T18:34:00.000-04:00

Okay, I promised I would share my secret surprise with all of you today and I believe I'm ready to do that... :-)

My secret surprise was a HAND MADE Birthday Card from my SP10!! How freakin' cool is that?? I've NEVER gotten a hand made card like this before and I can't say how excited I was!! I called everyone, my mom and dad, my aunt, told my daughter and a few of my friends (although I did that in such a way that they didn't feel bad..lol).... I am SO hyped about this darn card, it has REAL string on it tied in the BEST bow!! Here are a few pics of it...if I can figure this out..lol

I can't thank you enough SunnyMe!! My card was a wonderful surprise and one that I will cherish for all time! It is going to be hung up on the "art wall of fame" in my kitchen..which is the largest wall in the kitchen and is being loaded up with all the best hand made art that I just love (even if most of it is from the kids..*wink*..)

Hugs to you! For all your kindness and for such a thoughtful gift!!

While I was yet again googling over my home made birthday card I decided while I had my camera actually out and working that I would finally take those picture I promised weeks, upon weeks ago of my very first yarn order...so here are some more pictures.. :c)

Okay, here they are...all but the one I would like to trade and that will get it owns post. I will also post the names and colors soon if anyone wants to know what they are. :c)

So for now I'm outta here..I'm gonna rest my neck and maybe get some knitted on my easy project.

April in SC

MIA......

2007-04-05T12:38:00.000-04:00

Well I went AWOL for a few days...here's my story and I'm sticking to it... ;-)

I groomed 7 of our animals on Sat...okay that was cool, woke up on my birthday super sore but I was dealing. I had a pretty relaxed birthday, just went to my aunts for dinner, and of course that was perfect, she is such a fantastic cook!!! I can't even begin to tell you how I am spoiled on a weekly basis by that Woman's lovely cooking..not to mention all the other little things she does for our family, she's just such a giving person!!!

So I took some knitting and didn't have to do much on Sun...than Monday comes around and I'm still sore but decide I'm going to get some darn things done around the house, ya know those things that suffer when you get busy but that really bother the heck out of you...and of course they are things everyone else in the family can see or do but doesn't...They will just mosey right on by it like its perfectly dusted...ladeeda... So I get to working, and working, and ohh working some more...than after working myself and the kids for several hours I decide the kids still have to much energy so we go for a walk, not a long walk but a walk, where I proceed to tell them they should race...lol... So they race down the road to the dead end and we all walk back (I took Kodiak with me and he had a hard time not running with the kids!)...

By evening I'm exhausted and funny but the kids were to, they went to bed wayyy before there bedtime.. Our youngest (6) didn't even say goodnight, she just went to bed and was asleep by 7:25....lol.... Now that alone should have been my clue as to how I had over done it, but ohhh no, I wouldn't catch on to something that simple... So I'm tired, my neck is killing me, my right arm and fingers are uber numb but I got a few things picked up and some laundry folded and minimal dusting done, and also went through some clothes I know our family is just not gonna wear and got tired of it hanging around.... I didn't think how bad it would be the next day.....

So I wake up Tues and I can hardly move...I think I'm gonna die or be paralyzed or that I will live forever with the numbness (oh wait, I feel that way almost all the time anyway...sigh..)... So I get up because I have to and sit on the couch, turn the lap top on and look over some email, I might have even answered some, not sure....I literally did nothing else really! I just sat their staring off into space or staring at my knitting, or staring at what I could still be doing or at the things I would like to be doing....like painting my daughters closet, putting my book shelf together for my school work, or just dusting the small dogs out from under my couch (we have to do this weekly and its my week...well it was...probably not now..).... By evening time I'm tired of being tired and I'm frustrated from just sitting and I'm frustrated with the pain...such a small, itty bitty accident, and all this damn pain....its not like our car was totally crunched into a box...course it was totaled, but really I don't think the lady was going 40mph, I'm sure it was way less than that, yet I pitied myself all dang day...smiling at the kids and wishing I could just MOVE body in some way that would be productive...

Okay....so yesterday comes around...I feel a bit better and of course realize that I'm allowed the occasional day of pity for myself but I'm not that type of person that can just sit and be like that, so although I didn't get much done yesterday either, I was in a way better mood. We went last night and got J's and our youngest son's hair cut and got some groceries. By the end of that I was in so much pain my hands were shaking a bit. I don't think it was so much from pain but from just being in pain for a few days. It seems the longer this goes on the less tolerance I have to pain when it happens, and the side effects are me trying to not be grumpy and shaking... Not as bad as it sounds, but that's because I'm not the type of person that likes to show weakness, I usually feel like I have to be strong for everyone else and they can't depend on me if they can't see I'm strong...So for the most part I try and hide how I'm really feeling, which of course J usually see's through, but not always...

I did start knitting something light last night, after like 3 Advil...lol... I might be able to work on my beloved socks tonight but I think I will wait and stick with the easy project until tomorrow though...

I also got something SO special for my birthday that I will be sharing with you later today. Right now I need to start on some studying, for all that we had the week off for spring break I really only had a few days and took a few more than I had anticipated, so now its back to the grind... :-)

So for anyone reading this today...I should have an nice long post later today with a special share that I got from someone VERY special!!!

April in SC

P.S.......................

2007-04-01T01:45:00.000-04:00

P.S. I've started a new blog. I did this because unlike others who have found it easy to modify their blog here at blogger I have not. And I really wanted something I could modify a bit easier, since I don't feel I have the time to learn right now, maybe this summer. Anyway, I decided to try Wordpress and see what theirs was like. So far it seems much easier in some ways and harder in others, so over all I haven't decided. The same thing is over their that is here. They have a handy import tool that is awesome. So you won't miss anything but sticking with this one for now, I just thought I would tell you about it. If you want to check it out you can HERE it is under the same name since I'm not imaginative enough to think of anything better...lol..

Happy Birthday to Me!! :c)

2007-04-01T01:26:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I wasn't born until 8 something in the morning and its just after 1am, and I'm not THAT anxious to become a whole whopping 33..LOL...ohhh bring out the scary!! ;c)

Well I have had a busy week. I got my English paper done and turned in on Friday. Our instructor only gave one actual paper for the whole semester, but it was one of those that if you didn't turn it in you failed the entire semester and had to take the class again...yikes!! So got that turned in on Friday and now I'm on spring break...can we say that again?? SPRING BREAK!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAayayayaay!!

So to start off my spring break I groomed today...and it was a LONG day! First I shaved Kodiak down to help with his skin allergies and just the over abundance of hair that was floating around, and than I proceeded to bath him and Sage our other dog. Well, its spring and I couldn't be done there..no not me.. So I than bathed our 5 cats - Maji - RunyB (pronounced as RuinyB, like you ruin something with a "B" at the end because that stands for something special..lol) - Druid - Voodoo - and last Mojo... It took me all afternoon and I can tell you cats do not like water, not at all!!! But oh are they fluffy and soft now, and my two babies Mojo and Voodoo have already forgiven me. :c)

Tomorrow (today) we are going to my aunts for dinner, and that is about it, I guess you could say I've always been a bit lame on my birthday..lol.. But for the first time in a few months I don't think I will be bringing any homework, just knitting... And although I would love to do nothing but knit my whole week of vacation I can't.. Spring has hit here and I have loads I want to do. I won't be able to do any of it very fast but as long as I take good breaks, don't life anything and be mindful that my right hand goes numb and just drops things I should be fine. I'm pretty excited about having a week with just my two youngest this week also, it should be fun!!

So I have restarted THIS sock pattern about 3 times and think I finally got it, maybe....lol.... But disaster struck in the stupidest way and I'm not sure what to do now... I always keep a pad of paper and a pen near me when I knit to mark rows or make notes...Usually I use a pen that clicks closed or has a cap, well I happen to crab one I personally would never use, but I made sure to keep it away from the yarn. Well my daughter got into my lap and I didn't notice it had rolled and guess what?? It LEAKED on my sock!! I'm so upset!! I'm not sure if it will come out or not....sigh.....

Anyway, I really have to stop now, I'm so tired and honestly very, very sore from using my neck and shoulder so much today. So its off to bed for me! I hope everyone out there is having a good weekend!!

April in SC

No test and I have the best SP10!

2007-03-22T23:44:00.000-04:00

So I get to class today and the teacher (Mr. W), decides we won't have our math test today but on Tues..I was SO happy. I have down what I need to know, but I'm still really slow at working out the problems, so the extra time to "practice" won't hurt me at all. :c)

Took my English test today. I thought it went well, out of 80 Questions there were only 4 I felt a bit unsure on. Not to bad I thought, more than I would have liked, but I think I can live with it.

So last night my SP10 and I were emailing back and forth a bit and she sends me this great website on knitting swaps and stuff, you can find it HERE . Wow, was I in heaven! Course it was super late and I should have been in bed, but hey, I gotta take life when it comes and this WAS life baby, I'm tellin' ya!! LOL

I'm having so much fun with the SP10, its just awesome to email back and forth and learn about each other, my SP10 who has been affectionately nicknamed "SunnyMe" is fantastic, funny, practical, silly and everything in between and I just get really excited when I see an email sitting there waiting for me to delve into. And after all, you have to love someone who when you tell on yourself by staying up to late browsing the internet, tells you very nicely just like a best friend to get your butt to bed. ;c) How great is that??

As for knitting I did get a few rows done on J's Austermann sock, only about 3. I want to knit so bad yet I find myself browsing around on the computer instead of using my time as wisely as I could be. Its totally addicting, have I mentioned I'm a pattern junky? Ya, I'm sure I have..lol..

So I won't be around much over the weekend. I have a HUGE english paper due next week and will be spending my weekend getting that done, please pray for me on this! lol Its already complicated my life, I'm not sure why, its not a hard or long paper, but I'm having major anxiety over it for some unknown reason.

I wanted to make a note on my "swap" ball of yarn, you remember, the one I don't like the color on?? I don't care if its solid, stripped or whatever, as long as we agree on the color and its sock yarn, and of course of equal value (again I only paid 6.75)... I "think" I put in my other post that most of the patterns I've been looking at called for solid sock yarn, but I didn't mean that I would only "swap" solid for the one ball I have...there is ALWAYS a sock pattern I love and can do... lol... ;c)

Well I need to get going, I was up late last night and its already midnight, I need to get to bed!! No more website browsing or anything else tonight! lol

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

April in SC

SP10 ~ My favorite accessory

2007-03-22T00:06:00.000-04:00

It's pathetic I know, I don't really have any "accessorys"... I guess I'm cheap or something..lol...

However, I do have one, and that would be my needle gauge.. There is a little spot in my purse that it just fits perfectly, so of course it goes everywhere with me! :c) And that might be why its my favorite. I can't tell you all the times I've used it. I've used it for sizing, measureing knitting and non knitting items, and I've even used it to measure the tops of my pages for APA format at college to make sure I had the full 1" all the way around the paper!! LOL Its just the handiest tool to have in so many different ways.

I don't have a picture of my own, but I found what I have online and here it is:

Its awesome and I don't think I could live without it. :c)

April in SC

The Dreaded Flu & Trade me Sock Yarn?

2007-03-21T23:10:00.000-04:00

Well, the dreaded flu hit me starting Sat/Sun, and than my 16 yo got it today. I'm finally feeling better and actually ate something that had substance today. :c)

As for knitting, I Finally finished my Trekking sock!! Yayaya... 1 complete pair! I finished them Monday night right before bed, and wore them yesterday to school. A bunch of them were amazed and excited for me as they've seen me knitting on them inbetween or before class.. So in a sense they took part of that exciting journey with me.

I'm also past the gusset stitches on J's Austermann sock, the first one and I'm looking around to for a pattern to CO with my Lorna's Lace. I've been really looking and asking questions about this pattern HERE . It's a PDF so you know. Its an ankle sock with what looks like to me a pattern similar to the Jaywalker?? Anyway I'm not 100% sure but I'm leaning that way. :c)

Looking through some of my saved patterns I realized that a lot of the patterns I have require solid colored sock yarn, which I don't have.... The reason?? Well so far I've only knit with my Trekking and now the Austermann, and soon to be the Lornas Laces... I'm not sure what I like yet, and figued I would knit up what I have and than make a decision on which yarn I either want to try next or to buy in solid colors.

Now my secret...I have held off on this secret because I wanted to do pictures... You know the ones I promised over a week ago?? sigh... yea, those pictures...sigh...

Anyway, a few weeks ago now I bought some yarn that arrived in the mail! I was SO excited. Here is what I got:

1 ball ~ Fleece Artist ~ Color Woodland ~ For me

1 ball ~ Opal ~ Color 3704 ~ for daughter

2 balls ~ Regia ~ Color 5455 ~ for me or J

1 ball ~ Fortissima ~ Color 9045? ~ Small project for son

1 ball ~ Opal ~ Color 15 ~ for J

1 ball ~ Regia Cotton ~ Color 5420 ~ for me

Now my last ball. This looked SO different online. It 100% taught me to look at other websites to see if the color may vary...because to me it looks nothing like what the picture showed. When I actually get the time I would like to show the difference. Anyway this is what is:

1 ball ~ Online ~ Color 787 ~

Anyway, I relooked a the color online, and the color looks right, just a lot lighter...at least to me, maybe its not and I just don't like it. For some reason I thought it would be darker, the yellow is just to chipper for me I think...I have nothing that would match the 'lighter' tones...but it does feel really soft, I will be buying more soon, just in a deeper color... :c

Either way I don't want this ball.. I paid 6.75 for it, I got it onsale, not sure what it would be anywhere else, but if someone would like to trade for a different sock yarn equal to the 6.75, just let me know! I do have pets (cats, dogs, parrots), and it has been around smoke in the sense that J will smoke a cigar outside of our home, but does have it on his clothes.

Its the bottom picture (787) and its much lighter than the picture..more like spring and summer (I guess the summer in the name should have gotten me (Online ~ summer 787) but it didn't). So just think all those colors just much lighter... ;c)

Well I better get, I have to do one more short blog and than I need to get to bed. I have a math test tomorrow and a huge test in english.

April in SC

About Me~

2007-03-15T22:50:00.000-04:00

It became obvious to me today glancing lightly through my blog that I suppose I never really introduced myself properly or even really gave any idea of what is going on in my life. Which of course means that all my rambling means nothing to anyone who reads it....well, duh on my part eh?? So I guess this will be a meeny me life story post. :c)

Wow, writing that was the easy part, telling about myself now seems a bit hard..lol...

Okay, I will be 33 in April. I had my first daughter very young at 16. I got married at 16 to, that lasted about 6 1/2 years, I met Jack about a year after my divorce started, we decided to wait to get married since we both had been married before and well, that has turned into 10 years later and still not married, but we are planning for it this year, seems fitting after all we have been through and of course it being our 10th. I have 5 children and one step son. Three of our children live with us, which would be a whole different story, and not short as its a bit twisted like most blended families tend to be.

For the most part I've been a stay at home mom, although I did work for a few years in there and also went to college. We decided with our last two children that I would stay home until the last one went to school full time, which was this year. I was born and raised in Alaska, moved to Michigan with my ex where I spent about 9 years, went back to Alaska for 2 years and than moved down here where I've been for almost 4 years.

I have a lot of companion pets...2 dogs, 5 cats, 1 turtle, and 6 parrots. I have a ford truck which started having break problems today, but its my baby and I love it. Although everyone tends to make fun of me because I have to use a body pillow doubled up to drive it since I'm only 4' 11".

I don't prefer cooking and love easy recipes, which since I don't prefer cooking means I'm usually to lazy to look them up. I'm not a bad cook, I would just rather fold laundry, mop, clean the kitty litter or even the toilet instead. ;c) Thank goodness Jack loves to cook so we trade off days.

I do like fishing, camping, reading, cross stitch, did I mention reading?? lol.. and of course my pets , family and the biggy knitting.

I don't collect to many nick knacks, we've moved a lot the last 6 years and also because of our parrots, which could fly into them and break them, we do a have a few treasures though.

mm...I don't like to shop much, unless its a craft/yarn/bookstore, I love, love, love coffee and tea, unfortunately I'm pretty stuck on decaf with only an occasional live cup in my hand. Although I don't go have it professionally done I believe everyone woman deserves to treat herself to a nice night of tea, good movie and painting her toe nails. Maybe its because I'm not much of a foot person but I think woman's toes look better in sandals with a bit of color... kind of a me thing I guess. lol...

Last summer I was in a car accident and have a bulging disk in my neck and possible facet joint damage. I've had 3 epidurals with my last on Dec 11. I thought it was getting much better but it has been bothering me again, which means it feels like the muscles in my neck are trying to crawl into the back of my skull while my right arm and sometimes part of my leg goes a bit numb and just causes general annoying pain. Still it could be worse, and I just want to get it fixed...especially since its keeping me from getting that last of my 6 year old baby fat off! LOL

Right now, I'm going to college full time, hopefully to become a nurse. I just started back this school year and even if I complain I'm very excited to have the opportunity to be doing this.

I have an awesome family and our family spends almost every Sat night having dinner at my Aunts house, now she is a fantastic cook! Yippy!!! I have two great older sisters that both live in AK and my parents are total life savers, they are open, communicate well, are understanding and except their entire family with no reserve. I can actually say that about all my close family, I'm very fortunate, and hopefully my parents will be moving down here to SC sometime this year, we'll see. :c)

Personally right now I feel like I'm in transition and I'm not really sure where I'm going. After staying home for the last few years and now reemerging into the outside world where its not just kids and more kids I'm finding out things about myself that have just changed or is changing. Its an exciting time and I never know where I myself will be going or what I might be thinking about next. Its totally something I've needed and everyday is always a good day to experience something either about the outside world or something about myself I didn't know before... A good example is knitting...When I first started I really wanted to learn socks but felt I needed to get some other basics down first...you know, learning to knit right?? LOL So while I'm doing that I'm looking at all sorts of sock patterns and yarns and pictures online and I'm thinking to myself two things 1. wow, sock yarn is expensive and 2. I don't think I would ever be so bold with my color, don't sock knitters knit with solid colors?? So fast forward to about Jan...I decide I'm ready for socks, but now its different, something changed in just a year, and even from the few weeks before Xmas, because all the sudden 11.00 doesn't seem so bad and OMGosh, I LOVE color, still most of the warm tones and not anything loud, but honestly I can't imagine doing many sock patterns with solid yarn...there are only maybe 2 cable patterns that just wouldn't look right on anything else...but now I just love the color, not sure what changed but thankfully it did.... Its great to step out of my comfort zone and just go with life, to stand inside that fire instead of outside looking in...

Well, that got long...if your still with me, thanks, and maybe its time for a potty break?? ;c)

Its almost 11:30 and I'm bound and determined to be in bed by midnight tonight! I'm crammed again in homework and I haven't even knit yet today...sigh...probably not gonna happen tonight, but if I go to bed and get up early I bet I can squeeze some time in...whoo hooo!!!

April in SC

P.S. I thought knitting was addictive, and it is...I could never give it up, but once long ago I looked into spinning but where I lived at the time there wasn't anywhere to learn, and it was before the Internet even came to that area to....but now....Oh Boy, the world is opening up and this might be something in my future...we'll have to wait and see since I'm just reading up on it...lol...

SP10 ~ Update

2007-03-13T22:42:00.000-04:00

I got my secret pal today!! :c) I just checked and had the email, I'm so excited and yarn and giving is on my mind now!

I have my questionnaire posted in a previous post, but will be posting it again and I will probably change a few things in it. I have no idea why those things are hard for me but they sure are! Either way, its all good and I'm really excited!

Good Luck to all the SP10'eners out there, I hope you all have a fabulous time!!

April in SC

What's up Doc??

2007-03-13T22:18:00.000-04:00

Well had a pretty good weekend, felt like I ran around town all weekend, which I kind of did. We went to the mall on Friday, than we went on Sat, and than I went yet again on Sun, this time to get an eye exam. Yup, found out I need new glass's, not that I've been good, I haven't had my eyes checked in about 4 years. So nothing new that I needed new glass's. Now I just have to actually pick some glass's...do you think this was easy for me?? Of course not! I found a pair I really liked, they would be what I would call my "funk" side, which is a side I don't show often, I really think knitting is bringing that out in me..at least it sounds like a good excuse..lol... So Last night we went to another mall to look at glass's and the only ones I found between two places that looked remotely good had Barbie on them...yes, they were kids, I have a small face...but Barbie?? I think not..lol.. So either I go with my "funk" side or keep looking.. I really dislike choices like this!

In-between this we went to my Aunts on for dinner Sat like we always do (I swear, I wish I could share her cooking, its great!) and FINALLY handed over her Birthday gift, and of course spent the rest of my free time studying and knitting.

I was in a car accident last June which resulted in a bulging disk in my neck and possibly some facet joint damage. I've had 3 epidural injections into my neck area, and they seemed to really help, especially after my last one on December 11. I was starting to not have pain just sitting, and only when I over taxed those muscles. I was actually after all these months feeling half-way human, not fully but halfway. Until about a week and half ago. I'm not sure what really happened but slowly my neck and shoulder started to hurt again, then I started getting numbness again in my right arm and now into my leg at times as well. I'm a bit frustrated with the whole thing as my right side is just SO weak (thank goodness its not my "good" side).... Anyway, its going to be off to the Doc again to see what he says, hopefully it will be something as tonight it got really bad after trying to sit all day in class, and its getting difficult to drive again...sigh...

For the knitting I haven' worked much on my last Trekking sock, this sock is like the sock that never ends..lol...My own fault of course, I got hooked on working on Jack's Austermann sock, I am on the gusset decreases right now.

It's getting late at 10:30 now, but I still think I'm going to try and get at least a few rows in on one of the socks I'm working on, and probably some homework. Tomorrow is loads of homework, hopefully some knitting, and again seeing about some glass's. I wonder, should I go with my funk side, or my normal side with just some regular ol' wire rims?? I'm just not sure the geeky librarian pocket protector is me, than again, I did kind of like it. ;c)

April in SC

Test in Teams, Test Alone.

2007-03-08T22:11:00.000-05:00

So Tuesday we find out we have a practical test in lab for A/P over about 8 or 9 chapters, of course we are only on chapter 7, but hey, it's all good. It was even better when our instructor said we were taking the test as a team with our lab partners "teams". So after class my team gets together and we decide to of course study all of the material but to also break up the subjects and specialize between us. Cool, that worked for me, although I was a bit nervous that I would forget my "specialty" at the last moment with having test anxiety and all, but still it was all good.

Fast forward to this evening, I walk into the school and everyone it out in the hallway waiting, the teacher is not letting us in yet, and the first thing I hear is that we are not working in teams but alone....all alone...

Good thing I didn't just "specialize" eh??

That is how this class is, you can't count on anything the instructor says, things change in that class faster than ... well... maybe.... I better not say here..lol.. You get my point, and its horrible. Nothing like wanting to learn, liking what your learning, knowing the teacher likes what he teaches and knowing that the whole class including you feels like they are not learning half of what they could be all because of a lack of organization and structure, and of course the instructor letting us know exactly what we need to know and being accurate on that information.

Now for the good part of my day, in fact great part of my day... I got SOCK YARN in the mail!! My very first time!! I'll give way more details tomorrow and I'm going to "try" and be firm about getting my pictures up! The only reason I'm kind of lazy about it is because I use my laptop and in order to do pictures I have to go use my desktop and load my pictures onto my flash drive and transfer them onto my laptop. I need a adapter for my camera memory card, I know they don't cost much, I've just not be up to walmart to check recently...its on the list. :c)

I'm only a few rows to until I'm at the toe decrease on my trekking socks, and I CO for Jack's sock on size 1 with the austermann. After fiddling with my gauge and CO formula I just decided to try 80 St and go with it. I'm not doing a really long sock and I'm doing it with a 1x1 ribbing and than I'm taking a pattern that was called "broken rib' and goes like this : Row 1 and 2 knit, Row 3 and 4 2x2 rib.. I hope it works and if not I won't have to frog back far since I'm not giving it much leg. :c)

Guess that's about it for tonight, its getting late and I want to get another row on the Jack's socks before I head off to bed.

April in SC

I made it through today!! Now on to Gauge stuff...

2007-03-06T23:54:00.000-05:00

Okay, nothing really exciting for the heading I put except I made it through another day of school AND got several rows done on my second Trekking sock during my Anatomy and Physiology class tonight.. I'm so ready for this darn sock to be done so I can wash and wear the pair, I'm getting there and it shouldn't take me long now.

Tomorrow and Thursday will be big days for me so I probably won't get an update put up here, and I'm not sure I will get the pictures up I had wanted to yesterday before Thursday night or Friday. I found out tonight that we are having our first practical in A/P Thursday night and I have loads to study as it covers 8 or 9 chapters and is all hands on (AND I have some sock yarn that should be delivered that day, how am I ever going to learn all I need for A/P Thursday night when sock yarn is coming that day? LOL). The good thing is that we get to do it in our lab teams, so tonight after class we split up the work and each of us 3 will be "specializing" in our own topic along with just doing a general study of all material covered to date....Wish me luck, its a lot of information and since we are behind in chapters some of the stuff we haven't even gone over in lecture..and I know I need some luck to remember all the surface muscles of the body along with lipids and protein reactions from a previous lab.. Good thing I not only took notes but also made out a tabled lab report I can now study off of. :c)

Okay, for the gauge thingy that is going on over here..

I am knitting my Trekking on my size 0 needles, I CO and started knitting a swatch with the Austermann I just got on my size 1 needles...and I'm getting 11 Spi on both.. Okay, I was told this can happen, no biggy. What is confusing me is that if I use the formula of (Spi x Ankle Circumference) with 20% deducted for ease it still seems like I'm going to have CO a large amount for Jack's socks. Here is what it comes out to be:

With my Trekking I CO 68 which was really snug, I don't think I could do that with anything but a plan vanilla ankle sock, I do like my socks snug though so for the pattern I used this is fine. But here is what my CO would be for me and Jack, if anyone has any ideas on this at all please let me know.

Using (spi x ankle) with 20% ease

Me:
70 sts -- which seems okay

Jack:
88 sts -- which seems like a lot

How many of you out there cast on 88 sts for socks? And since I did take the 20% off for ease how do you think it would effect the size if done in a rib pattern that is carried down the leg and top of foot?? Should I only take 10% or would the 20% with the 88 sts be okay??

Any and all answers or suggestions would be wonderful and much appreciated!

Okay, its midnight and I have loads of studying to do tomorrow, I hope everyone had a great day and I want to thank everyone who has left me comments, they are all much appreciated!!

April in SC

Yarn Goddess's

2007-03-05T13:30:00.000-05:00

Well the Goddess of yarn visited me this weekend...umm..er...I guess I should say my Fiancee took me to a local yarn shop..LOL... Of course I got some yarn and boy am I excited! I got some Austermann and Lornas Laces in colorway Black Watch. Hopefully pictures will be coming some time today. :c) And I was SO happy to find out that one of the wonderful Ladies who works at the yarn shop is left handed and knits backwards to! woo hooo!!

Well Friday Jack came home and put a new muffler on one of our cars, I had been at Lowe's earlier that day and picked up some really beautiful lavender paint for some shelves for my youngest daughter, so I painted those up. Saturday Jack got up early and served me breakfast in bed (yes, I've been very spoiled like that almost every weekend for 10 yrs this year!), we talked and had coffee together and than got ready so he could take me to the yarn shop, after that we went to my aunts house which we usually do on Saturday nights and had a great visit and wonderful food (she is a GREAT cook). While we were at my aunts I got a few rows done on my Trekking sock. When we got home we put in a movie and I started a swatch on my size 1's with the Austermann, these will be for Jack and I think I finally got him excited about a pair of socks. Now he would rather have a sweater..lol..but I think this yarn has caught his attention and he's looking forward to having them. Boy, I'm not sure how others have felt about the Austermann but to me it feels SO soft, almost slippery its so soft. I can't wait to actually get the sock on the needle. Since I'm almost done with my Trekking socks and I like using my size 0's I decided instead of using my size 1's for my Lornas Laces (picture showed in earlier blog post) I would go ahead and CO on size 1's with the Austermann and wait to use my size 0's for my LL. We were both so tired that we didn't watch much of the movie. Sunday I studied all day and the same for today. I'm hoping if I can get done by early evening I will have time to do some knitting. We'll see, Mondays are always big study days before my tests on Tuesdays.

Well that's about all that is going on here. My dog Kodiak is still doing just fine, strange, but we are very thankful.

I hope everyone out there had a great weekend and got to enjoy lots of enjoyed hours of knitting!

April in SC

SP10 ~ I'm In!!

2007-03-01T23:41:00.000-05:00

I'm SO excited to be able to say I joined SP10 . I'm so excited and so nervous at the same time! And this questionnaire was so hard for me, I'm not used to talking about myself so much, and will probably end up adding a few things since I feel late in getting it up I kind of rushed through it.. won't change it more than once more though, I wouldn't want to confuse anyone. :c)

Anyway, here it is in all its glory!

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I am SO into sock yarn right now! I don't really have a favorite since the Trekking and Lornas Laces on my blog are my first and I haven't even started on the LL yet. I don't usually use bulky yarn, but there are a few scarfs I wouldn't mind trying, and I would love to try some lace and some sweaters (adult ones, I've done baby/children's). I really prefer superwash wool/blends, although with lace and bulky I know that can be hard. I don't have much on my "want to do list" that involves acrylic, but I suppose there is always a pattern to be found that you just have to do..

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

Right now a zip lock or in my knitting bag. Bad I know. I'm working on my very first felt project, we'll see how it goes and if its not bad I'll post it, if not I know I have a pattern saved somewhere for a felted case done with cables that looked really beautiful, now I just need to find it again, I think I'll try and find it and post it to see if anyone had done it before and if they liked it.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I've been knitting active for about a year now. I'm self taught and I knit totally backwards. From my right needle onto my left...I'm left handed and its just easier on my brain..lol.. As for skill, I'm not sure how to answer that. I still consider myself a beginner, but I have done baby socks, almost done with a pair for myself, cables, fingerless gloves, and baby sweaters...right now, its all about socks and hopefully a few adult sweaters will be in my future.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I don't, but I've been thinking about doing an Amazon list for ages..I'm an avid reader when not knitting or studying, my wish list isn't that long but I have one. :c)

5. What's your favorite scent?

For perfume I'm an Estee girl..beautiful to be exact...and for all natural, wow, that's hard. I love vanilla and lavender...like the new downy fabric softener that's out...I love getting into bed at night and smelling that fresh smell. Mint, gardenias (sp?), tea roses, lily of the valley and ohhh my very fav herb kind of scent is patchouli...its just smells so earthy to me..

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Does anyone remember when jolly rancher had the fire sticks?? Not the little candies they have now in small cubes but the actual "sticks"....can't find those anymore..darnnit... I don't eat a lot of candy, but don't turn down chocolate when offered either. When I read I eat salted sunflower seeds, I can crack those faster than none other, or at least that's what I'm told..I don't prefer dark chocolate or white, I chew a lot of gum, usually a spearmint flavor, I love, love, love chocolate covered coffee beans..wow, were those made in heaven or what?? LOL

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

No sadly I don't spin, maybe one day I will learn, it has always fascinated me. The one time I looked into it in a previous state I lived in the store had closed not a week before, It was sad. I do like to cross stitch and will do a few rows when I can pull myself away from knitting..

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

We are big music lovers here. DH plays guitar, mountain dulcimer, banjo, and mandolin and I sometimes pick at the banjo a little bit. My computer, portable CD Player and Ipod all play songs. :c) I listen to EVERYTHING, almost literally. Bluegrass, country (from current to older..I'm talking old, like flatt and scruggs to the carter family for the old at least), rock (mainly new stuff, I like some of it, and what I don't like I'm at least trying to keep up with what my oldest daughter listens to, so I know..lol).. I like rap, classical, blues, and I'm not much of a jazz person but I would never turn down a new musical experience. I also listen to some new age'y' type spiritual stuff, chants, Indian flute music, meditation type music, ohhh and best not forget an almost weekly sound in this house...bagpipes, Irish melodies and stuff like that...

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

I'm not much of a yellow/orange/bright green person. My favorite color is nice deep purple, you could probably look at the Lornas Laces on my blog to see the colors there. The trekking sock was bit out there for me, but I love it. Right now I seem to be running towards the neutral colors, dk purples, tans, browns, beige's...but the more I knit and the more I learn about color the more I've learned I know nothing about color at all or how beautiful it can be in different combinations that I would never have thought of.. So I'm always open to stepping out of my comfort zone and having others show me how beautiful life can be with wild and lovely color.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

Okay, to make this short..lol...We have 3 children that live with us full time, and three that don't. Ages - that live with us - 16, 7, 6 - that don't live with us - 15, 12 yo twins - We have 2 dogs, 5 cats (I have no idea where half came from!! lol.. just kidding, they needed homes and suddenly my DH who didn't like cats felt we needed to take them all in?? Strange man to change his mind after almost 10 years together!)..1 turtle and 6 parrots. I swear I could probably charge the neighborhood children at the door to come see my zoo, but than again I don't think my companion pets would like that... ;c)

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Mittens yes, yes, yes..I have early onset of arthritis in my hands, have had it since my early 20's, hats possibly if there in kids size's..lol.....not really scarves or ponchos.. Not that I don't love them, its just that I'm only 4' 11" and if the scarf or poncho is to long they make me look even squatier, if that's a word...lol...

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Socks right now, I'm totally living in my own little sock world and its fantastic. I also like fingerless gloves/gauntlets, scarves, and baby things, except I don't have anyone to make them for.. I really like little projects that I can take with me to college and work on in between class's. (or sometimes during class...shhhh)

13. What are you knitting right now?

Socks, and trying a round pattern for table mats. My aunt has a round glass table and hasn't been able to find mats she likes in the right shade of green. I'm also working on a pair of fingerless gloves for my uncle (which should have been a LONG time ago, but I got stuck on my socks and school..)

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Most of my friends aren't that crafty, so honestly I've not ever received many. I know I would love it, how can you not just knowing how much effort, time and love someone put into it?? It would not matter what it was (even the knitted uterus...lol)...it was made with love and..well..I'm extremely appreciative and sentimental that way..

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Socks I knit on DPN's but that's because I haven't gotten any circulars to try them on. I have some circs but not small enough for socks. For the most part I like everything but plastic. I haven't tried those but they don't look very appealing. So far I believe I have DPN's in size 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7. Straight in 10, 10 1/2, 11, 7, 13, 6, and I think 5 not sure on that one, and in circ's I have 10 1/2, 8, 6 and I think 13's.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

Nope..but I have a very, very patient DH. ;c)

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

About 4 months old. My uncles fingerless gloves.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween hands down.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Not really, we moved around for a few years so it was hard to keep anything like that, and now we have parrots that could accidentally fly and break something, so we are limited to breakables in certain parts of the house. I would say for collections I probably have movies, the books I read, DH has lyrics to old country/bluegrass songs...and of course patterns, yup I think I can say I collect those...rather a junky if I say so myself...lol..

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I will probably have to come back and modify this one, I don't have a list..lol.. I don't have any subscriptions, and only 2 knitting books so far (stitch n Bitch, and Cables Untangled), I would love to get my hands on the Dixie Mason book, a book on doing socks on circs, and any other good sock book of patterns, as for patterns, yup..I'll have to come back to that, but really I love cabled patterns and socks that have designs like the Monkey sock or like the Eagles Flight . Of course I haven't tried them yet.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Socks on Circs, and eventually I think I would like to try toe up, just about anything, except maybe dish clothes, as fun as they are, I use sponges at home and so does everyone else I know, except of course my knitty online friends. lol

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I don't wear socks that are very high, as you can see what I'm making in previous blogs, but here are my measurements:

Foot/arch -- 8.5 inch

Ankle -- 8.5 inch

Heel to toe -- 8.25

Provided I measure right, which I think I did. :c)

23. When is your birthday?

Sadly my parents thought it was beautiful and fateful that I be named April for the month I was born in and because of the "special" day .... April 1, 1974.... Ya. I'm so glad they have that kind of twisted sense of humor to strap me with that until my end of days.. ;c)

Good Days and Rainy Days

2007-03-01T14:06:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a good day, it was sunny out, I studied all day and the only thing to mar my day was no knitting, not even a row. Be that as it may, it still could not ruin my day, I had felt so behind after chaperoning a trip my daughter 2 weeks ago that it just felt good to start feeling like I was catching up. After all, if I'm caught up I get to knit more! I also did it, yes I did, hopefully I will be excepted into the secret pal 10 . I can't wait to get my confirmation email saying I will be able to do it. I'm also very, very nervous. I personally think I'm the worst gift giver in the world, as in actually picking the presents. I LOVE to give though and have never had any complaints, so either people are being nice or I'm being a bit hard on myself, either way I can't even say how excited I am!!

Today its rainy and I may even have to cut this short as I thought I heard thunder in the distance. I couldn't sleep last night, I was still lying there awake when DH's alarm went off at 4am..sigh... I finally got to sleep right after that but had to get up at 6:30am. OMGosh, everything looked so gritty and blurry. At 32 I think my party days are long behind me because honestly I just can't do that anymore..lol.. So I didn't make it to my first 2 class's today, I hated missing them but I would have been at school, having to drive in the rain with only 2 1/2 hours of sleep in over 24 hours, so I went back to bed and made it to my English class, a bit later in the morning. That went well and now I'm home again and studying for tonight's lab and quiz in Anatomy and Physiology....after that its my FRIDAY (tonight after class)!!! Wooo hooo!! I can get caught up on email's like I promised, watch Greys Anatomy and just do some math online. And hopefully get a few rows done, I can't believe I'm not done with my sock yet for as excited as I am!! But I would rather be able to sit not stressed out and know in my heart that all my work and study is done...wouldn't want any mistakes ya know!! :c)

Well that thunder is to close now, so I will have to end this early. Hopefully it will pass by the time I get home tonight, but if not I apologize to anyone who doesn't get there email and I won't be able to do math online, so I guess I would just have to knit. ;c) What hardship life is!! lol

Take care everyone!

April in SC

Wheww What a day and it sure is late!!!

2007-02-28T00:29:00.000-05:00

Boy was today a big day! Three tests and one quiz! And through all that I only got one single row done on my trekking sock, what a bummer! LOL

I wanted to let everyone know if you read this and emailed me privately that I'm just SO tired after today, and the fact that with studying last night I only got about 4 hours sleep that I thought I would have some time to get back to you when class was over, but by the time I got out of class, had to run to the store, came home, finally got dinner, fed the animals and gave scritches to my dog and parrots I'm just sitting down and its after midnight.....So I'm SO sorry but I'm headed to bed so I can get up and start studying again! LOL And of course answer my email. :c)

My Kodiak is still doing good so I'm really thinking he probably pulled a muscle and it was just very painful for him during those few days. I'm very thankful for all the thoughts and prayers, I'm totally convinced this has helped him and we are so happy he is feeling better.

Okay, I'm off to bed, just wanted to let anyone who is either up late or is getting up early that I was thinking of all of you knitters out there and hoping your knitting day was better than mine, and wish you a great knitty day tomorrow!!

April in SC

My dog and my studys

2007-02-26T20:42:00.000-05:00

Well today didn't end up being a good day for studying, guess that means a semi late night, than tests in the morning, than a 3 1/2 hours race in the afternoon to finish up homework and studying before my class/tests tomorrow night...I sure can't wait until its over with!! LOL

As for my boy Kodiak, I ended up canceling his vet appointment this afternoon. I had noticed the problem Friday night, called the vet Sat morning and by that evening he has been fine and has appeared fine since. I think he maybe pulled a muscle playing or something. The hot spot that was healing doesn't appear to have any infection in it, no swelling, no heat, no abscess, it really appears to be healing fine, so I canceled and will continue to keep a close eye on him. I can totally palpitate his leg, underneath it and all around it without a single flinch or yelp, he's been walking fine and not lifting that leg or anything...so for now, I'll watch and give him my usually 1,000 loves a day.

I would like to thank everyone who kept him in their thoughts and prayers, I'm sure this helped and it was very much appreciated.. he is one special boy to us!

As for knitting....When I did my swatch on my first trekking sock I swore I was getting 9 sts per inch on my size O's, since I was considering CO with my Lornas Lace and was going to use my size 1's I was just pondering what my Spi would be and started to look for some patterns I might use with the yarn.. I really liked the Eagles Flight Pattern but wasn't sure the yarn would look good with it.. Anyway (I'm sorry, I'm tired tonight!)... I wasn't sure I could get that on my size 1's and for some insane reason I can't find one of my size 2's!! Uggghhh.. So I'm not really sure why but I decided to look at my finished trekking sock and I swear it shows 10 to 11 Spi!!! I checked the second one I'm still working on and it shows the same.. I checked last night and it was really late so honestly I'm not sure if it was 10 or 11 but I can say with assurance it was one or the other! lol Now that is when I got to thinking to myself how the heck I'm going to 8 Spi with my size 1's.. Probably not gonna happen. Still I'm hoping on Wed to be able to swatch with the 1's or just say to heck with it and wait until my 0's are free. :c)

Didn't get to really knit today, probably because I spent all my free time reading up on the socknitters group and asking questions...shame on me but I just can't help it!! They are so great over there that I can totally get lost just reading and asking questions.. Hopefully I will get at least a few rows in between class's.

For now though I still have math homework to do and Medical Terminology to study! I hope everyone had a good knitty weekend!

April in SC

Thank you and good morning!

2007-02-24T11:02:00.000-05:00

Thank you so much Karen and Laurie for leaving such encouraging comments and helpful to!! Oh and a good morning to all! :c)

I woke up this morning to some nice hot coffee and my Fiance starting breakfast, I had him ditch on the breakfast though and we sat over coffee and talked. Boy that's nice, I swear with school, kids and animals we never seem to do that often.

Last night my youngest daughter (6) got off my bed and my beloved dog Kodiak (10 1/2) yelped out and I thought maybe she landed on his paw, but then my Fiance said he had done that the other night when she just got near him...that was odd and I figured I better check him out, although he seemed fine and he's one of those dogs that does nothing, literally, he just lays at me feet and you'd think he was stuffed. So about an hour later my oldest daughter's (16) friend comes over to stay the night and she was petting him and he yelped out again when she touched his shoulder.. Of course my daughter came to tell me right away and I knew something must be wrong. :c(

So I come out of the family room into the front living room and call him over.. Kodiak gets "hot spots"...he has flea dermatitis, skin allergies and can lick hot spots if he's stressed which not always that hard to do, he's always worrying and trying to herd the kids, he is part Aussie after all... Anyway, I knew he had a rather hot spot on on his upper front left leg but it had been healing nicely...At least I thought it was.. In 10 1/2 years they have ALL healed great, we make sure to clean them out and give him a bath with special soap to help... Well this one hasn't I guess but its not presenting like a regular infection. There is no real swelling, no extra heat coming from the area, it doesn't appear abscessed...so of course I'm panicking. He's my buddy, he came to me at a time when I didn't have any one else, he went through my divorce with me, we've had some hard times together and thank goodness some very good ones, so I'm totally upset all night and kept checking on him through the night. So I get up and call the vet this morning and they can't get him in until Monday, so me being all panicky I asked them if they thought he live until then! LOL Ummm yea, he probably will, but that sure won't keep me from worrying at least a year off my life.... SO as dumb as this sounds, IF anyone reads this, please keep my buddy in your thoughts, there would never be a way I could convey how important Kodiak is to me, how close we are, if I didn't have my Fiance I would say he was my best friend and soul mate!! It's just heart breaking to see the pain in his eyes and see him flinch if he even thinks you going to touch that shoulder.. :c(

As for knitting, I worked on my second trekking sock for a few rows last night. I'm past the gusset working on the foot part and so far the ladders look less than the first one which made me really happy. And this afternoon we are going to my aunts for dinner and visiting and I can take it with me to work on, knitting, coffee, visiting and dinner...what a perfect day!!! (except for my doggy of course)...

For now though I better do some studying before we leave. I hope everyone out there has a great Sat day!!!

April in SC

Lornas Laces..

2007-02-23T15:45:00.000-05:00

Well, since I'm on a role today with actually getting a blog post up, I thought I would ask my LL Question....Should I or should I not use a pattern with this yarn?? It's Lornas Lace Bucks Bar #142. So should I do just a vanilla sock or a pattern and if a pattern what do all you experts think would be a good pattern??

I can't believe how excited and nervous I am to actually knit with this stuff, and honestly if I don't do something soon it will be worn out from just rubbing it!! LOL

In all my life I've only found knitting to be my bane on life..I love it so much, yet, its the only thing I've done that I can never make up my mind on and its one of the only things in my life I have such a fear of messing up..which is super dumb I know! I mean after all, its my knitting, its what I like to do and who cares what others think right?? (unless its for them anyway..lol) So why all this anxiety about making sure I pick the right pattern for the colors/yarn? I have no idea, but I've never seen myself as a very imaginative person, so mixing colors really isn't my thang. Maybe that will change as I do/learn more.. I guess on thinking about it, I do have a few reasons why I'm such a worry-wort over it:

1) I don't have much money to spend on yarn, so in buying I not only have to be very selective and know what my projects are going to be, but if I mess it up to badly that project may have to be put on the back burner until I can get more yarn if I've frogged it to death.

2) I've never been a color person, I have always stayed on the conservative side, most knitters aren't like that, and now that I am one I find that I'm blooming as much as the beautiful yarns I've knit with, but I'm still insecure about my choices and don't feel confidant at all about color-ways and such.

3) I'm not patient...there I said it! Now with that said I'll explain a little. I'm very patient when it comes to knitting, I'm perfectly content to do each row, take my time and enjoy all the process's that come with knitting, but I'm not very patient when it comes to having to pick the yarn and the pattern, I'm nervous, not confidant, and just want to actually get to the point of casting on and knitting and sure as heck on my budget don't want to make a mistake...

So with those three reasons stated, I will do my best to work on them.....after I get help with this pattern/yarn issue.. ;c)

Thanks everyone!!!

April in SC

What a busy month and half!!

2007-02-23T13:24:00.000-05:00

Well her I thought I had another week before college started again to post here in my last post and boy was I wrong! This last two months sure have been eventful. So eventful that I didn't even get to knit almost the whole month of Jan! Finally I just told myself that I needed to take some time to relax even if it was only for 5 minutes at a time, which is about what I was getting there for awhile.

In the meantime, school has kept me busy, my family, knitting, reading email's when I get the chance, did I mention school? lol And of course that does not count the animals, our entire heating/air going out and having to be replaced for 3600, and a four day trip to nationals with my daughter and her team who are all on the ROTC Precision Team for her high school. Oh and of course school... :c) Ohh yea, and for some reason I had about 3 weeks where the "S" button on my keyboard was sticking and it was driving me nuts, don't know what fixed it but its fine now, thank goodness..

For some reason I feel like I'm studying my butt off and still not doing as well as I'd like to be, I still have all good grades, but I feel like I'm studying way more for how much I'm retaining, which doesn't seem to be enough. This weekend I will be evaluating how I'm studying and seeing if there is anything I can work on.

Okay, for knitting! I was inspired once again to try posting pictures to my blog by the wonderful people at the Yahoo! group Socknitters . These Ladies/Gents are FANTASTIC!! I can't even tell you how wonderful and patient they are, how they will go out of their way to help you in any possible way you can think of, even down to searching the Internet for just the right sock pattern for you and the yarn you have chosen..Awesome people who all deserve great big hugs.. :c) And here is the story of the pics...

So I got my first ME sock done (which is not a pattern name, really just my first sock I have made for me), I made a pair for my honey but not for myself, and of course since his were a "trial" I just used a Lions Brand which was fine with him, I don't think he really cared much as what he wants is a sweater, not a pair of socks..lol... However, for me I went and got some actual sock yarn..woohooo. I was SO nervous and excited I was almost shaking, and then I waited for 2 whole days before I started knitting with it...insane I know! LOL So I got some Trekking XXL Color #126 and some Lornas Laces Shepherd in color Bucks Bar #142. I decided to start with the trekking. I went to a LYS that didn't have a great selection but were awful nice I'm sure I will go back, anyway I wanted to buy online and will still be doing that, but I wanted a small project to take on the trip to nationals and didn't have time to get an online order in time for when we were leaving. Well when I went I brought my 16 yo with me and she said the trekking looked like it would be ugly, and I said, well we'll find out. I thought it would just stripe, but as I started to knit, oh boy, it didn't just stripe at all and the colors have come out beautifully!! I don't wear pink and it has just a bit in it but I'll tell you I can't wait to get these on my feet!!

As for the Lornas Laces, I'm not sure what pattern I will use, my trekking is just a basic ankle sock (I don't usually wear socks, just sandals or heels all year around, so I'm really not sure about high'ish socks at all! lol)...I will try and get pic's of my color way and any suggestions would be great...

So after completing the first sock, I started on the second and someone on the sock knitting group asked about trekking...FINALLY I might be able to contribute more than just sharing a pattern I pull out of my sock favorite folder (being the pattern junky I am)..how exciting...and that is where my pictures come in...I can actually share my trekking sock for someone else to see, I have something to share finally that is finished and might help someone!! Life is good today, especially right now...because after this I have to go study!! LOL

The sock wasn't perfect, hasn't been washed and I did have some ladders (I wonder if they will go away after being washed?)....ohhh and not to brag, but I felt SO lucky! When I finished the first sock, I was only 2 rows off on the color way when I started the second, no wasted yarn looking to match it up...how cool was that?? And I might even get two pairs of ankle socks out of this yarn, course I have small feet at only a small size 5. What a bonus! :c)

Anyway, I hop everyone has a great weekend and has the chance to feel the wonder of yarn flowing through their fingers as the colors spring to life on the needle!

April in SC

PS. Last night in class I was knitting before it started and someone asked what I was making, so I pulled out the finished sock (which I have been religiously carrying around with me like a geek) and she couldn't believe the sock yarn patterned itself like that, she thought I had done it myself....I'm not sure I will ever be good enough to do that!! LOL

Finally Back

2007-01-02T20:56:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm finally back. I got so upset that I could never post pictures here that I just walked away for awhile. Of course my parents being here for a month, finals, knitting and the holidays didn't play a role in it at all. *g*

So I have one week today until the next semester at school starts. It was a great break and I'm looking forward to going back. I'll be taking English 101, Basic Anatomy and Phy, Medical Terminology, and a Math class.

As for medical, that has been interesting. I got my third and final shot in my spine, he did it higher up in my neck this time and I think it has helped a lot. Not perfect but a bit better. I'm still experiencing pain often but hey, I can at least fold 3 small loads of clothes without feeling like I'm going to die for the rest of the day. :c)

Knitting! I got my scarf done that I wrote the pattern for below. It turned out nice but I feel the outer edges curled a bit to much for my liking. I also did not slip the first stitch so was unhappy with my edges, that was fixed by adding a crochet border, in fact that turned out really nice. I forgot to get pictures since I was on a deadline and was right on time I should be able to get a picture from my cousin though. Here is the list of my very first gifts I knitted for family this holiday season:
Back Scrubber for my aunt
Cuff to Cuff easy child's sweater w/hat for my little cousin
Santa Hat I did this in red and purple for my aunt for Red Hat
Scarf pattern listed below for my other cousin, in red/white/black for the GA Bulldog colors.

Not much for the holidays but I'm still happy with it. Since I blogged last I have finished or started these:
Men's Fingerless Gloves I have a pair started for my uncle. Almost done with the first one.
Infant Socks I just finished these and they were my first socks!!
Baby Feet Cloth This will go with the socks to a friend of ours who just had a baby boy.
Dolphin Cloth This will also go to our friends who had the baby
Lorraine Major's version of the 5 hour baby sweater I'm almost done with this sweater now. Just a few rows left.
Sock Calculator I used one of the many calc's here to get a pattern for Jack and cast on for it last night. It's my first full size sock so I'm just using some Lionbrand wool-ease I had here.

Well I guess that is about it for tonight. If I don't stop then I won't get any knitting in before bed.

Happy New Year All!!!

Time...Time...Time...

2006-11-01T19:41:00.000-05:00

Well time sure seems to be getting away from me and I'm not really sure where its gone yet. Halloween is over and the kids had fun. I'm still working on my finals, honestly this was probably not the best time to start a blog but I'm happy I did.

The Plan - Get my 3 finals done before my parents arrive on Nov 11, that leaves me the rest of this week, this weekend and next week. I already know my math homework will be hard inbetween with one more test and the final, and I know I will have at least 2 more tests in one class and have to finish up 5 more chapters in another and my class's end the week after Thanks Giving, and that weekend we are going to a reunion which I will probably have to take all my last minute work with me.

Recently finished:
fingerless gloves
cable hat for daughter
Child's sweater for cousin with matching hat

On The Needle:
my cable scarf pattern ~ for a Cousin
Cable scarf pattern ~ For Jack
Guantlet - 1 done ~ for Me
Round Placemat ~ For Aunt~ need 4 to 6 of them

Next projects:
Secret for Xmas ~ Aunt
Secret for month of Dec ~ Aunt
Scarf to match cable hat for daughter
Hat to match scarf pattern for cousin
reput son's hoodie back on needles (I stole needle set for something else)
....and a list of patterns to decide on...lol...

I really do hope I will have pictures soon. I've just been so busy it seems by the time I think of it I'm ready to go to bed. Right now its time to put the school work up, relax for a few minutes of knitting (first time today!) with some hot chacolate and then go to bed, I get the results from a math test tomorrow and I can't wait to see what I got!

I also can't wait to load up the pictures and let you all know about my twisted stitches, how I'm working on it and who the wonderful Lady was who has helped me! It was a wonderful experience, I learned a lot and can't wait to brag about how howderful this special someone is and to share her blog with all of you.

So for tonight, happy knitting and peace out (I always wanted to say that...LOL).

Work, Work, Work..and none knitting...

2006-10-17T16:26:00.000-04:00

This has got to be the most horrible week of knitting I've had yet. My son was sick yesterday and by the time I got to knitting last night I wasn't feeling very well so didn't get but a few rows done on the fingerless gloves I've been working on and only those because I could do them lying down..lol... Today I had school all day and now have loads of homework and all I want to do is knit..sigh...

So here's my plan, as a treat to myself for getting a 100% on my math test last week I'm going to do some of my homework tonight and do my math tomorrow. I don't have much to do when I brake it up like that vs. trying to do it all tonight and I think that is exactly what I'm gonna do. Crawl into bed with some soothing tea for my tummy and some soup and finish up my homework and then just knit while I watch my shows and then when I get up in the morning all refreshed and not feeling worse (I hope) I can do my math in about an hour and then put about another hour into some of my finals and be done and knit a bit more...sounds great!! lol

Weekend Over

2006-10-16T14:49:00.000-04:00

Well finally the weekend is over and boy was it a busy one! We left Friday at about 4pm, got caught in rush hour in Atlanta which put us in at about 11:30pm in Nashville, got up and went to breakfast, did a bit of shopping at a dollar general (a few of the team mebers forgot black socks), went to lunch at subway and then came back to the hotel for about an hour. We then leave for the match and that went really well, my Daguther shot awesome and her team mates all did well to, it was great! They didn't bring the scores out until really late so by the time we viewed them and went to dinner we didn't arrive at the hotel until about 9pm. Got up at 5am on Sunday because they had an international match at 8am, they shot that, we got scored and left for home. We got home about 7:30pm last night.

I'm so tired today and haven't gotten anything done. :c( My youngest daughter is feeling better but didn't sleep well all weekend so I kept her home and now my son has the flu so he is home. I have a bit of homework to do tonight but it shouldn't take long so tonight I am going to start on my swatches! Over the weekend I did get some worked on the scarf pattern I listed the other day and its not to bad, I've left it alone for a few days and will be coming back at it today with a fresh "look". If I make any changes to it I will post a picture of the current before I frog it down (if I do) so you can see what the original looked like. I have two more fingers left on the fingerless gloves I'm doing my for my partner Jack, I need to just finish those up tonight also. I'm also hoping tonight that while making my swatches I can have Jack take pictures of how I'm knitting. It will either be right or wrong and maybe it will help some leftie out there. :c)

I have tried to put a pic up in my profile several times now and keep getting that the blog has an internal error. This is getting annoying and hoepfully either they get it fixed or I figured out what I'm doing wrong so when i get the pictures up they will actually be loaded up!

Whelp, that's it for now, I'm off to see if my son needs anything and unpak and pull out my knitting.

Getting Ready

2006-10-13T10:36:00.000-04:00

Well I was hoping to get some swatches done yesterday but I didn't. My youngest DD (almost 6) has gotten the flu. She is home today and really not feeling well and I'm getting ready to be gone for the weekend, so I sorted through all my yarn last night and picked my projects to take. I have a few to finish and a few to work on and few to start. :-) So today is packing, taking care of her and then finally going to pick up my son at school, drive to my aunts, drop the kids off an back to the school to leave for the trip. I might forget my hair brush but you can bet my knitting is ready!

I'm pretty excited as I wrote up a quick pattern for a scarf last night (which has probably been thought of before and I just don't know it..lol). I'm not sure how it will look since I've never written anything and have only done cables once. I wanted to add some small cables on the sides but leave the middle St st because at the ends I will be sewing patch logos on it for the Georgia Bulldogs. It won't be a two/way scarf maybe I can work up to that if its possible but I'm just excited I got it on paper!

The Pattern is basically:
Cast on 28 st
Row 1: k2,p2,k4,p2,k8,p2,k4,p2,k2
Row 2: p2,k2,p4,k2,p8,k2,p4,k2,p2
x4 rows
Cable Row: k2,p2,c2f,p2,k8,p2,c2b,p2,k2
repeat row 2: p2,k2,p4,k2,p8,k2,p4,k2,p2
repeat row 1: k2,p2,k4,p2,k8,p2,k4,p2,k2
repeat row 2:
Cable Row:
Just keep doing that until its the length you want. Mine will have 3 colors used and I wrote it out to switch colors on a cable row. I'm not sure if that is correct or if it will work, heck I'm not sure if this pattern will look like mush! I do have an alternative idea though:

1. only use the K8/P8 in the middle until its long enough for the patch and then switch to K2/P2 ribbing (you would have to add extra stitches to the pattern though, bringing it up to 30 sts), that would make a kind of small box for the patch.

I think I have a few other ideas written down but my paper is not in front of me, so we'll see. If anyone KNOWS this will look like crap, please tell me, it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all! LOL If you try it please let me know how you liked it and I will do the same.

Well I'm off to pack and get some things done, I have to get my school stuff around to bring also, the knitting is great but I got finals I need to work on to, I'm hoping to have them done before my family arrives from Alaska in the beginning of Nov. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

My First Entry

2006-10-12T12:26:00.000-04:00

Wow, I never thought I would have a "blog", but like many since learning knitting I would like to share my projects and adventures in knitting. Today I have to gather all my knitting around for a weekend trip up to Tnn. My daughter has a rifle match up there for ROTC and I'm looking forward to the long car ride so I can just knit and knit and knit. :-) Also my plan for today is to knit a few swatches and find out if I'm twisting stitches or not. It isn't something I have ever thought about before, *I* think my knitting looks fine but after seeing a blog recently (which I'm going to re-find!) I realize that I could have those darn stitches twisted, and it really does make a difference in the way a final project looks. So I will be off soon to start those swatches and see what happens.

Right now on my needles I have just a few fingers left on some fingerless gloves for my partner Jack, a pair of gauntlets for me (my first ME project), a hoodie for my son and I need to get a scarf done hopefully over the weekend. I also bought some practice yarn for socks months ago on clearance that I might work on, I love clearance! lol

Well I'm off, I hope everyone has great knitty day!