Ugh, Change

I learned today that my closest friend at work is leaving. Doesn't change suck? I am so not a fan.

I really appreciated the way she told me, though, suggesting a Starbucks run so I could hear it from her. She even bought me the drink, which was awfully nice.

I'll take her to lunch before she leaves. And we'll keep in e-mail touch. But it isn't the same. I am, sincerely, happy for her. But I'm feeling very sorry for myself at the same time.

Sigh. So! I started making lists of things to do in preparation for a job search, as I've been thinking of and quasi meaning to for a while (without actually getting much done). I also did some window shopping to cheer myself up (it was a very slow day at work--the sixth Very Slow Day in a row, in fact, verging on a new record), and think I will have to get myself this business card, since it is too perfect, don't you think? My contact info goes on the other side.

I also ordered a going-away card for her, which I will be warning her not to open in the office, since it's this:

(It's available here.)
Hey, it could be worse, I decided this one was a step too far for me:

I also am getting her a couple of magnets to commemorate our running office jokes. Specifically, corgis:

(Get your own here!)

And bacon:

Particularly perfect for a scientist, eh? (Here.)

They make me feel a little better. But not a lot.

Some Little Bits

Words that came out of my mouth: "I was not expecting that ferret." (In pictures of a knitting pattern)
 
*****
I got another so-and-so is following you on Etsy notice. What is up with that, honestly?

*****
I get daily e-mails via the Oxford University Press that have the "tip of the day" from Garner's Modern American Usage (yes, I am that much of a word-nerd, didn't you know?), and in addition to the tips they give word- or writing-related quotes. I liked this one a lot:

Quotation of the Day: "People who can't spell look bad because, as we can correctly assume, that is probably not the only thing they can't do. Besides, bad spelling is obviously a sign of not reading much, for anyone who reads would have seen the misspelled words written correctly thousands of times." S. Morris Engel, Fallacies and Pitfalls of Language: The Language Trap 18 (1994).

Not just word nerd, I suppose, but word snob. I am, though.

*****

I think it's knitting time.

What do you do, when you need to step away from reality briefly?

A Warp in the Space-Time Continuum

I came to the computer to report on a knitting problem, and I really honestly wasn't cross about it, it's fine and I have a plan and while I'm here I'll just copy the new pattern I want to use out of the book -- and the printer about had kittens, first claiming that it had a mysterious error and must be turned off and on, then doing that again, and then taking forever in the "I'm 'copying' now (when really all I'm doing is making random whirring and clicking noises)' phase before claiming that it had NO paper even though I put paper in literally yesterday, and it turned out that when it said NO paper what it MEANT was paper JAM instead. I turned it off and back on and went away to cool off while it woke up for the fourth time. (Yes, I had to cool off while it warmed up. No wonder we don't get along.)

Then I came back, to start writing this, and when I had typed "I came to the computer to report on a knitting problem, and I really hon" I looked up to see that the screen had only " really hon" because Blogger hiccuped or something, and you should feel the stress in my shoulders from all this. I mean, okay, first world problems, but still, annoying. Clearly something folded over itself in the space-time continuum and things got trapped. Yup. That's my theory.

OK, so the problem! I was knitting on the new purse sock before the chiropractor tonight, and felt uneasily that it might not be big enough. Once home, I took it out and compared it to the bike sock, and then to a finished sock, and decided no, it might almost-kinda-sorta fit, but not properly, and why not do it right? And since I was only this far in:

I ripped it. I'm not sorry I started it when I did, but now I can try a toe-up pattern the way I was thinking of anyway. I pulled Wendy Johnson's Socks from the Toe Up off the shelf, and picked the Dead Simple Lace Socks pattern. And now I'm going off to try casting that on, because tomorrow after work I have to take the car in for an oil change, and I can't do that without knitting, now can I?

P.S. Wish me luck with copying this pattern. If the printer doesn't want to, it may get thrown through the (closed) window after all.

Of Knit and Music

As I mentioned yesterday, I had to sit down with the shawl and decide how to handle where I'd gone wrong. I started to move forward before realizing that I had made another mistake, which, though small, was enough to turn the tide and make me bow to the inevitable: undo the mistake part and start chart A over. The tinking wasn't fun, but once I got moving again, everything has been smooth (knock wood), and I like the pattern and how it's knitting up. I don't have any pictures, but they will be forthcoming. At stitch and bitch tonight, I got past where I had been, so it's like the last week in the life of the shawl never happened. Moving on.

I have to get all my ducks in a row tonight to be ready for cold, harsh reality to go to work in the morning, so let me leave you with this bit of musical fun. As the write-up on Boing Boing said, "This performance from the Five Pennies may be one of the greatest ever recorded. The fun that these two incredible talents are having is without compare."



I finished watching the clip and went to the library website to request the movie. Have you seen it? Is it good?

(If you're not in the mood for the music, or it's not your thing, no harm in that. Have some animals on trampolines.



Made me laugh!)

NOT the End of the Weekend!

It is a fine feeling to approach Sunday evening relaxed, instead of depressed about the imminent end of the weekend. My brother says that in all his experiences over the years with different work schedules, he found four work days and a three-day weekend was the best, and I believe it. I've spent some time Getting Things Done, and some Doing Nothing Much, with the help of my loyal assistant.

He's a master relaxer, this one.

It is too bad that the weather hasn't been better this weekend, though. Friday evening was lovely: I ate out with friends on a restaurant patio, and we were so happy with the weather (and the restaurant, La Casa de Pedro in Watertown--the coconut flan was divine).

There was also a giant sunflower.

Because why not? Since then, though, it's been cloudy, and rain and thunderstorms, with the accompanying 150% humidity. Yuck. Still, inside is air conditioning as needed, and a floor fan when more is needed (say, when biking), and it works out.

There has been both knitting and photography of same. We have finished socks, and socks in progress. Bike socks pair one:

And the start of pair number two:

You can see why this yarn wants to be knit directly under a good light. It's going fine, and providing a lot of motivation for me.

In the realm of purse socks, the pair completed on Friday:

And, in completely coincidental (not at all) timing, the pair that was started on Friday:

Bright, right? Looking back, I've been using some quieter tones in recent pairs, and I thought it was time for a brighter pair (particularly with the dark gray of the bike socks). This is a skein that my brother gave me; it's from Pigeonroof Studios, in the "colourway" electric rose. I'll say!

 

 

That should knock any end-of-summer doldrums right on their ass, I imagine. In other next-purse-socks news, I am thinking of (gasp) choosing a different pattern. I know! I love the Skyp pattern! And I still do, but the pair on the bike is the tenth pair in a row ... and I think it's time for a break. I'm feeling like trying a toe-up sock again, since it's been a while. Maybe I'll just compromise and use the Skyp stitch in a toe-up pattern! I'm doing these in Skyp, since I didn't have time to figure out a toe-up start before dinner on Friday, but next time. Anyone have a pattern recommendation?

The thought also crossed my mind that, now that I am competent at knitting socks, it's probably time to try making them on a circular needle, a technique I have hitherto avoided while I mastered it the other way*. Which means buying one! Perhaps I will pick one up at Rhinebeck. Or borrow one from a friend to try--that might make more sense.
*There are actually more than two ways, but you know what I mean.

Finally, I have to sit down and consider the aunt shawl tonight or tomorrow, since I messed up and need to decide if it warrants repair. ​I worked on it at knitting Wednesday night, but I had some struggles with the section I was starting. It was only on Thursday that I realized why--and incidentally, what's with the next-day realizations related to this thing? Perhaps I should start calling it the next-day shawl. Anyway! My "genius" idea after Monday night's mistake, to just go ahead and drop the yarn-overs when I came to them? It failed to account for the fact that two of those YOs were in the first row, meaning that when I dropped the four YOs in the second, I left my stitch count off by two. So that's at least part of why I was confused. I think I'll go look at that now. Or maybe I'll have dinner first. Who knows?

His Lordship Says: Step Away from the Distraction Box

I'm happy to say that the reason I missed posting yesterday is NOT because I had a headache. Isn't that nice? In fact, I was out knitting and didn't get home until 9, at which time I made the (unusually mature) decision to ride the bike instead of blogging. Who would ever have predicted that? But I want this pair of socks to take much less time (by which I mean fewer months, since the number of hours will be the same) than the first pair of bike socks did.

There was also some serious Carlos time last night and tonight, since his lordship is not all that amused when I stay out late (or when I go out at all, if it comes down to it). He would prefer his time be spent like this, with many attendants to his many itches. Unfortunately for him, that doesn't happen; we come closer when my mother visits, but otherwise, he suffers through life with a single lackey. Poor boy.

Is that sarcasm? Are you trying to be funny?

Because if you are, I will give you the Ears of Annoyance you so richly deserve.

Time for the Big Reveal! Secret Knitting Unveiled!

I kept blog silence when I first saw a certain knitting pattern, because I knew at once I wanted to make it for my brother, who has been known to read the blog. I didn't specify what pattern I was buying yarn for when I wrote about going up to Coveted Yarn in the spring, for instance, since I wanted it to be a surprise.

However, by late May, it was killing me not to tell you how I loved writing "start squid" on my to-do list! And on the fourth of July, I really wanted to put on Facebook, "Watching the concert and fireworks, knitting a squid. As one does." And at some point, I made a note that, "It's hard not to get the yarn caught in the tentacles."

Yes, I knit a squid for my brother for his birthday. I started it before my trip to Florida, and worked on the "pouch" part on the plane: first half flying down, second half flying back.

Then it was time to move on to the legs (make 8).

Join together, start up the head, and pause to knit together with the pouch.

Finish the head, and viola! Meet Octavian.

To unveil him fully:

Isn't he awesome? If I do say so myself. He lives in the pouch; then when you pull him out, the pouch goes up into the head as "stuffing". Such a clever pattern! Just amazing how some people think of things. I'm just tickled by how he came out, and as my brother also likes him (he e-mailed a picture of himself with Octavian on his head, so, yeah), that is what we call a win, all around.

*****
In current knitting news, I was working on my aunt's shawl at stitch and bitch last night, and accidentally went one repeat farther than I meant to in the set-up section. As I saw it, I had two options:

• Tink back through the two rows. Easy to do, but at over 300 stitches, not really what I think of as fun, per se.
• Keep going and make the set-up section a bit larger. Not something I have a problem with at the concept level, but the math! In order to not screw up my stitch count for the next section ... let's see, the repeats in the next section are of 14 stitches ... and each set-up repeat adds 6 stitches ... wait ... that doesn't add up...

So I put it aside to consider, and worked on a sock instead. Only today did a third option occur to me: keep going, but instead of knitting the yarn-overs when I get to them, as I usually would, drop them instead. This will mean I added two rows of plain stockinette between the set-up and chart A, but I think that will look just fine, and it's by far the easiest solution. Hooray for seeing door number three.

Now, I did in fact cast on the next bike sock last night, on the bike, and I'd better get going if it's going to get its innings tonight.

Sockiness!

I​ wanted to take that all-the-socks picture ​yesterday to take advantage of the rare state known as "all the socks are clean," but I did it knowing that it was only going to be the status quo for a moment in time. The purse sock is more than halfway down the foot of the second sock, so it won't be much longer*, but the bike sock? Finished it last night, thank you, all but the kitchener (which I choose not to do on the bike; even I have limits, but I did it tonight). It took months, but at last, I have a completed pair of "these were knit completely on the bike" socks: yay! Pictures, of course, to come; we're heading into the time of year when I do the majority of my photography on the weekends, for light reasons, though of course tonight, it's for "I just got home from stitch and bitch" reasons. ​
*And I'm already thinking about which yarn comes next.​ I'm not exactly embarrassed at how many choices I have, but, well... ​

And after all, that may only be 20 hours over 10 months, which isn't so terribly much to brag about, but it's 20 hours I'd rather have been doing almost anything else, so points to me. And I have the next yarn ready to cast on tonight, so if you'll excuse me? ​I have to get on the bike.

A Really Nice Weekend. Honestly. Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop.

What a nice weekend. The weather's been good, I've both had some fun and done some of those round-the-house things that never go away, cuddled the kitty ... it's all good, particularly because the head has cooperated. Hooray for no migraine!

So much to say that I don't know where to start. I think I'll fall back on the photos to direct me.

First, just because it's pretty, I finished another washcloth.

As you can see (from the bottom up), I started out doing very regular intervals of K1 P1 and then P1 K1, whereas I finished (mostly done Monday night, when I was coming down off that headache) doing three rows, five rows, and screwed up rows. Classic bipolar nature of my head, illustrated in cotton.

Next, Carlos on Friday, looking as though an extra leg got into the picture somehow. How is that comfortable?

On Saturday, I had a little day trip with a friend. We met kind of in the middle so we could drive up to the north shore together. We were meeting at a Starbucks, and I got there early, and sat in the sun with a silly drink and my knitting and anticipation, and was pretty much perfectly content. It was a good feeling.

First stop, of course, Woodman's! In honor of my dad's birthday, which it was, we drove the way he used to, along route 22 (which is not the most direct, but it sure is pretty.) Although that's not strictly true: it was our first intended stop, but on the way we were passing the yarn store in Essex, Hooked Knitting, that I went to on the yarn crawl, and went in, just because (Mount Everest, you know). They were new at the time of the crawl, and have really expanded the selection since then, with some lovely stuff that I fondled but was able to put down. I did buy some stitch markers, since I had just read that triangular markers can be easier to use, and wanted to try it. Plus, you know, you like to buy at least a little something. Support the fun little yarn stores everywhere.

Lunch was delicious, if that doesn't go without saying, and it was nice enough weather to eat outside. I didn't take any pretty scenery pictures, but I did have to get this shot inside.

I was much struck by this sign, as I have a shirt at home with some can-I-get-them-out butter stains. Sigh.

Then it was on to our main destination: the new location of Coveted Yarn, which moved recently (still in Gloucester). The new place is nice! It's a bit bigger, and a lot more open. Light, bright, easy to see just how overwhelmingly much yummy yarn they have. Two thumbs up.

I did not buy this yarn:

Though it amuses me to think about what one would make with it. I mean, look at it!

Anyway, what I did buy was this: Frog Tree Periboo, a yarn I have bought before though not yet knit with. And, I know, white.

 I'm making a shawl for my aunt, and from her suggestion of black or white, I chose white.

This is nice yarn! It's got a good squish to it. Which I know, because I started last night. See? Look, it's non-secret knitting! Hooray!

Instead of swatching, I'm starting the pattern to see how it feels. At first I wasn't sure but that I'd want a larger needle size. I kept going, though, to see, and I like it, so we're off!

See how big it got? A few few hours of knitting and coffee with a friend this afternoon, and it's like a miracle. This is the set-up part: soon, pattern fun will start. (I mean, I am using a pattern, this one, but it gets more ... well, more something. I don't want to say fiddly, that sounds bad, and intricate isn't quite right either. Getting tired. Words fail me.)

The yarn was also on sale, which was a pleasant thing, though it wasn't marked down as much as the other yarn I got: three skeins of Ella Rae Amity in yellow, for $3 a skein instead of $6. No planned purpose yet, but it's nice yarn (I used it for the twins' sweaters, remember?) and will come in handy for something. And it's machine wash! I wouldn't be surprised if this became a baby blanket, one day.

Next up are these little cuties, which I did not knit. My friend made us some cat toys! Wasn't that nice of her?

Carlos dutifully sniffed them...

And then proved that he is as contrary as any cat, and ignored them. (Don't worry, they're been played with since!)

The weather was beautiful yesterday, so much so that after I dropped my friend back at her car, and was driving home past a park by a lake, I stopped and sat in the sun, knitting, for half an hour. So beautiful! I am so grateful for every day of it ... I am not sick of summer yet, and it's waning, it's waning.

Today, as well as many other more standard accomplishments, I did something I've been thinking of doing for a while, and laid out all my socks at once.

This isn't all I've ever knit, but it's most of them, and in chronological order (from top left across, then center across, then bottom across). Soon there will be two more pair joining them! And it's clear that my next purse socks should not be with blue, right?

Don't they look pretty in the drawer, too?

I have a couple of pair that have popped a heel, meaning if you stop by my place unexpectedly, you might find me wearing one each of very different socks, while I plan to re-purpose their mates:

See, the heel?

Not so strong. Not enough, anyway!

Carlos, meanwhile, was not amused so much when I came to kiss him, and brought the camera back to photograph Her.

Seriously, though, how often do I see her so relaxed?

And lacking the bug-eyed look of fear?

Be that as it may.

I don't believe I care for your attitude.

Don't let it happen again...

Mostly Yarn Thoughts

As I had my nice, normal evening last night*, I was a little sad at how happy I was about it, if you follow the twisted thought process. It should have been nothing to notice, just an average evening. But too many of my evenings aren't average--on Wednesday night I managed to accomplish One Thing (boxing up my brother's birthday present to mail), and I was so proud of myself, fighting through the headache to get it done. Compare that with a night where I made chicken salad and wound some yarn and blogged and knit and biked--whoa, look at all that!
*And I feel almost normal today, though it teased me a while this afternoon: mostly, though, just some residual soreness/tenderness at the back of the skull, to remind me of what could happen. Charming.

And yes, I biked. The sock is into toe decreases! And this is the second sock, meaning that the pair is close to being done. I'm very excited to finish my first pair of knit-entirely-on-the-bike socks; it's funny how that motivation is working for me, whereas when I tried the same thing a couple of years ago, it didn't work for long. This time, I want to be able to say, "These were knit only while I rode the exercise bike! They are the embodiment of 20 hours of exercise!"

One of the yarns I wound last night is for the next pair of bike socks: it's the dark grey skein of Sock Dreams I got at Rhinebeck last year (when my color choices were that or grape kool-aid--this year, Periwinkle Sheep will be my second stop, so I get more color options), which will be perfect for bike knitting right under the good lamp. I also wound a skein of BFL I got at Rhinebeck, for which I am planning a shawl of my own. I want to incorporate some autumn leaves (since the colors are so right for that) into this shawl pattern, the Garden View Shawlette. We'll see if I can make it be like I'm imagining it. I want it deeper, for one thing, and I think three leaves worked into the body. We'll see.

Link, link, link tonight! I will leave you with this picture I took of Carlos last night. He wanted me to come to bed earlier than I was ready, so he gave up and came to me instead--and draped himself over my arm, so I couldn't really do anything. He's not stupid, this guy.

I Fought the Headache...

And we all know who won, right?

​This month I've gone off the pill to see if that will lower the raised blood pressure that has my PCP all hot and bothered. At this point, as I start to suspect that being off the pill may be the reason for the increased number of headaches I've been having lately*, I feel like telling the PCP to take a flying leap ... but I'm trying to be patient.
*It can't be to blame for all of them, as it's only been a couple of weeks, but, you know...

It's hard. Very hard. How do I weigh the problems the high BP may bring down the road against the definite, absolute pain of the headaches right now?

So, yeah, that's where I was last night: whining and rocking and generally being miserable. Today was better in the morning, a bit worryingly worse again in the afternoon, mostly better now, though not all clear. I'm so tired of it: the number of headaches had been improving, but for each of the four weeks before this one, I've had two headache-impacted days; this week I'm on three days and it's only Thursday, and it suuuuuuucccckkkkkkssss. Other head thoughts:

• ​Arguing with my head during a migraine makes about as much sense as arguing with a toddler who Is Not Tired! It takes energy and gets me nowhere.
• ​One of my coworkers is on the phone All The Damn Time, and while I understand it's part of his job, there are times (generally headache-correlated times) when I just want to say to him, "Could you shut the fuck up? Just for one day?"

In happier thoughts, I realized today that it's six weeks to the start of the regular season! Camp opens in less than three weeks, rookie camp sooner than that. Hockey again!

Not Much, but hopefully amusing

Today was not a particularly crazy day, but this makes me laugh, so up it goes.

I also like this. So random tonight!

In the meantime, if you love comics (print or web) and have two minutes, watch this trailer for what looks like a very interesting documentary about them:

I'd watch it; wouldn't you? (There's a whole website, if you want to sign up for more.)