Q

. . . is for QWERTY.

Even though I no longer "work" everyday, these keyboards are still the tools of my daily life; the portals to the world for me.

My desktop computer keyboard - my most used computer by far!

My Bluetooth cell phone/PDA/MP3 player/camera keyboard. Some women feel naked if they leave the house without lipstick. I'm a puddle without this. I can't function, commit, breathe, or complete simple tasks without this. The "D 5" button sticks so if you have one of those in your phone number or name, it'll take me a few times to get through to you!
The laptop keyboard. You can probably guess where this normally lives. Sometimes I get to use it at night in my room.
I know, it's only WERTY - but still - I use it all the time!

Q is for QWERTY.

The List

On the list of "really important things I have to do today" is:

1. Take picture of Box Tops for Trek and post here. It's a total of 13 Box Tops for our school.
2. Go pharmacy at "That Big Store" and pick up prescription for the "procedure" that those of us just over 50 just dream about. Stay tuned!
3. While at "That Big Store" pick up 4 cases of soda (or "pop" if you're from here) for staff and and faculty "Welcome Back" lunch for our school and parish.
4. Help set-up, serve and clean-up said luncheon festivities. Pick at leftovers for my own meal.
5. Track down all the missing soccer registrations (and payment$$). No pay - no play. That$ my motto!!
6. Pump air into the dead volleyballs for tomorrow's practices. Silly things keep loosing air. We probably need new balls.
7. Come home. Take care of my own child and husband for a while.

Good thing my Sketchers come in brown too! I need my feet to be comfy today!

While All That Was Happening ...

. . . I managed to knit an entire pair of socks. Yes, Jeanne - me, the slowest knitter ever on record knit an entire pair of socks in about a week. Probably in response to all the commotion - but at the end of the day I would steal away to my room and hide for a few hours and just knit happily away.The pattern is Donyale and the yarn is my own hand-dyed in a colorway that I don't really like. The stitch pattern was so easy to remember which is probably why these went so fast.

And it's a good thing they did because already - nap time on the porch is getting a little chilly!!

CousinFest 2008

We went to the pool ....

. . . and hung out with our older cousin.

We went out for ribs with Nanee and Poppa . . .

We rode the pig at the B-B-Q joint.

We had a party at our house. We all learned to water ski.
We went to volleyball clinics.
We went swimming in the lake.
And we went to the Minnesota State Fair.

And all to soon, everyone is gone and it's quiet and lonely in my house. It's a busy, busy week coming up. And even that isn't helping me with the sudden feeling of emptiness over the fact that my friend is really in Dallas and my family is really back in San Diego.

The Breakfast Bar

The cousins arrived safely from San Diego.

Breakfast was served this morning at "the other 8:00" - as in A.M. - an hour Kathryn hasn't seen for many weeks.
And there were smiles all around. It's especially nice to see that one in the middle. It's been a while!

P

. . . is for Playhouse.

Just a few steps from the porch, but miles away, is Kathryn's playhouse. Daddy built it for her when she was 4 years old.

The Mr. Ed door,

and the butterfly "Welcome" sign have greeted her friends for more than 7 years.

There is plenty of room for playing,

. . . or quiet reading

We have a sleeping loft which is perfect for escaping the dog - for now!

"I think I can, I think I can!"

"Do they Stair Climbing in the Dog-lympics?"

And plenty of nooks and crannies for storage of out-of-favor toys, until they come back in favor.

The playhouse has many modern conveniences: electricity, heat, hook ups for phone, cable, satellite TV, internet, and intercom back to the house. We worry now and again if she has plans for this space for the upcoming teen years. Mental note - install smoke detector and hidden web cam soon. I know I have big plans for the space after she's grown out of it. Chris, Jeanne and I have often wondered just how hard it would be to get running water out to the playhouse for a dyeing studio.
But for now, it's a retreat, far from home; a place for the kids to dream, to play and be kids. And when the day is done, they can open the door step back home.

P is for Playhouse.

*It should also be noted that as of today P is also for Preparations as the WTT household is eagerly anticipating the arrival of the California cousins and my sister who will be here for 10 days. Of course this means tons of fun and playing and that posts will be less than predictable during this time.

Ramen Noodle Knitting

Sorry this is later than usual. Our cable (and consequently our internet service) has been out since last night). That's today's equivalent of saying "The dog ate my homework" I guess!

I finished the final steps of the sock blank dyeing experiment. After unraveling it all (because I have ZERO interest in knitting from the blank) I had what Kathryn referred to as Ramen Noodles. Tru dat! The unravelling process was cumbersome and tedious until I corralled a few 11-year old girls to wind it up on to paper towel rolls at the same time. The blue-green and orange skein was a single knit blank from Plymouth and that wound off beautifully on to the niddy-noddy all by itself.

From there the skeins took a long, really, really hot bath in Eucalan in separate tubs as they had not previously been rinsed at all. There was significant dye run off. Imagine that part as I forgot to take pictures.

There was a lot of weighted hanging around time. Heavy weights. I found them in the shop. They were industrial strength Master locks. Yeah!

I'm quite pleased with the results. Most of the kinks are gone. Indeed - quite kink-free. And that Plymouth hank had a ways to go being knit with a single strand. But while the results are good, the process just doesn't seem worth it to me. Way too much extra work. The white spots from where the dye doesn't absorb through the knit stitches in the Knit Picks yarns are bothersome - unless that's the look you were going for - which I wasn't. Maybe it's just me - but give me my long skeins and I'm a happy girl.

Interview with a Mister

Because he is far away in Boston now, it's safe to publish my e-mail interview with Jon on my knitting. He was not available to do a "live, face-to-face" interview so this will have to do. If you have follow-up questions, leave them in the comments. As you'll see, he may read them.


Me: What is your favorite thing about my knitting?
Mr.: It seems to make you happy and it is oddly social.

Me: What is your least favorite thing about my knitting?
You: unfinished projects in every nook and cranny of our home and car (Didn't think I knew about that one, did you?). (Me: emergency sock knitting!)

Me: What is something I have knitted that you recall as being good?
You: The blanket. It's big and finished and looked complicated and it is useful. I will never appreciate the socks, sorry. (Me: big afghan knit in different squares out of Red Heart. It's 8 years old! It's quite hideous.)


Me: Do you think knitters have an expensive hobby?
You: Not compared to jet aircraft collectors.

Me: Do you have any hobbies?
You: I think so. (Me: he THINKS so????)


Me: What are your hobbies?
You: Electronic gadgetry, home improvement.



Me: So, if we compared money/time spent on hobbies, who would win?
You: I think you would. (Me: I'm good with time but I think that John Deere tractor trumps all the yarn I currently own!)



Me: Do you have a stash of any kind?
You: I'm sure my tools and bins of electronic components would count. (Me: WTF?)


Me: Has my knitting in public ever embarrassed you?
You: Only when you were drunk at the same time. (Me: guilty!)


Me: Can you name another knitting blog?
You: No. Are there any?

Me: Do you mind that I want to check out yarn stores everywhere we go?
You: No if you did, but you don't. I wish you would send me on some scavenger hunts when I travel. I think that would be fun. (Me: Where should I send him in the Boston area - he's staying out in Marlborough?)

Me: Do you understand the importance of a swatch?
You: I'm a Movado guy.

Me: Do you read WoundTooTight?
You: Occasionally.

Me: Why or why not?
You: To find out what goes on in that head of yours.

Me: Have you ever left a comment?
You: No.

Me: Why or why not?
You: I'm afraid I will have to register for something and think up another user name and password. I am currently at my lifetime limit.

Me: Do you think the house would be cleaner if I didn't knit?
You: Not sure how that would make the cleaning lady come more frequently.



Me: Is there anything else you want to say?
You: Hi Jeanne (now blogless) and Chris!

And because he's gone and you saw him last week - how about a few parting shots.

So long Tara - we love you and miss you already!!

Week In Review and Preview

. . . . (or, I got nothin' - you decide!)

• The smell emanating from Holli's ears (which caused a spontaneous hurl episode, mine, not hers) finally sent us to the vet. Yeast infections - double. Yippee. Drops for four weeks. Please don't feel sorry for her. It's much worse for us I promise you.
• Kathryn and I did all the school supply and uniform shopping in one day. I don't recommend this as a general rule. We were doing fine until I was brought to understand that middle schoolers had to "accessorize" their lockers. This nearly broke the magic spell of spending the whole day together.
• I would very much like to participate in the "interview your husband" blog game that has been seen on several of my favorites. Toward that end, I have drafted a memo with the questions,and sent it in an e-mail to Mr. at his work address. He is working from home today (about 15 feet away from me as you read this). He will prioritize this with his other work and get back to us when it hits the top of his "to-do" list. This is how he works.
• I have foolishly volunteered myself for the school's Athletic Committee. I am the Asst. Director and Communications Director. There are probably more parents on the board than athletes. We meet a lot and make terribly important decisions that mean nothing - - all of which have to be documented and sent out to the people who were sitting there when the decisions were made. This is why I left the corporate world. But ... it's for the kids!
• Likewise, Mr. and I are co-chairs for the parish / school annual fundraiser, Oktoberfest, which as you might guess is in October. Much of that work starts, like now. Most of the athletics work has started and will continue until March.
• The planets are beginning to line up for a big collision.
• My sister and her girls are coming next Thursday for 10 days! Yay!
• Mr. wants to go to his aunt's cabin for three days over Labor day! It's 4 hours away - we will have only one full day there. And then drive 4 hours to come home.
• I haven't had a cup of coffee in nearly four years. This morning, I have gulped down two already. Is this screen shaking or are we in Southern California?

• I can't tell for sure - but I think he's working on my memo! Which means there may be a blog post on Monday.

Hmmmm...

I didn't see this coming . . .

. . . or going up over the sofa table . . .
. . . or up, over, around, and in between the legs of the chair . . .
. . . and ending up under the piano bench.
But I have a pretty good idea of who is responsible for all this. Kathryn and I have been really busy and running around a lot this week with back-to-school school activities, shopping etc. It seems that someone got bored and felt the need for a little attention getting behavior.

"You're right mom - the dog did it. I saw her! No cookies for her!"

Do Not Adjust Your Dial

The "Satur-Dyers" reconvened this past weekend but the following photos won't look anything like what you're used to seeing after one of our marathon sessions.

First off, you'll note that our environment changed - due to the weather freaks in Minnesota who forecast a wicked hot and humid day, we set up inside. As it turned out, it was a glorious day and we could have been on my porch but.....

Please pick yourselves up off the floor now. Yes, that is Chris, and yes, she is using orange, hot pink, and raspberry. We decided to try some sock blanks this time too. She's using a Knit Picks one here.
Jeanne is trying to recreate a skein she made the last time we were together. She actually keeps notes on these kinds of things and was able to do this! HA!
I made a watermelon flavored sock blank. I have no original ideas whatsoever.
Behold Chris' "Noro-esque" sock blank. It's absolutely gorgeous in person (and with a flash - Chris will have a better picture).

And here is Jeanne's "Noro-esque" sock blank. Better picture. Beautiful isn't it!

All finished! The jury is still out on the sock blanks. Chris has some early reports about white spots as the stitches are unraveled. Maybe a good wash at that point will help? I'd hate for all our hard work to be for nothing!!