Planning Ahead

Last night was a bad night. Couldn't get to sleep until after 10, which makes morning come so early. Took a nap in the break room, which really seemed to help.

Keep plugging along on Nan's sock. I'm on the home stretch of the foot. Figure I'll take a picture of it and send her a copy.

I've decided that for the Knitting Olympics I'll make the whole afghan. Have a plan worked out, so I won't be as stressed. 16 days total. Figure one day for "just in case". Figure three days to knit the border. That leaves 12 days to knit the squares. I need 60 total squares. Just five squares a day and I'm done. Since I figured I can knit two at once. It will go just twice as fast. Its the sewing (the "just in case") I'm concerned about.

It Snowed

Yesterday was quite the busy day. Arranged to get off at 12:30, so I could take Jen (the eldest) to the doctor. Didn't get out until 1:00, which was quite frustrating. Spent four hours at the emergency room, only to be sent home with instructions to see the doctor on Friday. Oh well. Its not me, but it still is scary to watch.

Started Nan's socks. Using a white cotton yarn with size three needles for the leg. A simple knit 2, purl 2 stitch for 4.5 inches, then I'll switch to St. Stitch for the rest of the sock. I think I'll pick up a set of size two needles for the body as well. Maybe I'll knit Mike a pair using the size two to see how they work.

It really started snowing today. Glad I'm not driving home today. Even happier Jess isn't driving home today. I'm sure she'll be a bit crabby to walk home in the "blizzard". (Meanest Mommy in the world.) Well, the snow has stopped, now it's turning to slush. Should be even funnier to walk in.

Knitting Olympics!

I've done it. Now the implications of what I've signed myself up for is starting to settle in. It all started with a simple question from Mike. "Hey, the Yarn Harlot is doing an 2006 Knitting Olympics, are you going to take part?" (http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/olympics2006.html) I thought about it and decided, I could do it.

So I'll be scrambling to get 30 squares done before the kick off on the 10th of Feb. Seems pretty simple. I'll just stop working on the sweater. No problem there, haven't worked on it for a week now, I'm thinking the sweater is feeling a bit lonely. I know the second second that I haven't worked on in a while is plotting against me. Its moves stitches from one needle to another. I know I put 25, 26, 25. Picked it up this morning, and it was 25, 25, 26. Hmm Just slipped one to the second needle and went on. I'll need to count again later to make sure.

It's just going to be a glorious day, I just know it. Mike (the husband) was up half the night coughing. When the alarm went off this morning at 3:45 AM, I got up and jumped in the shower. The rational was, if he was going to be calling in sick, he would have told me when he turned the alarm off. (Can you see where this is going?) After a good five minutes in the shower, Mike sticks his head in and tells me he's calling in. I don't have to be to work until 6:30 AM, but I car pool with him. Hmmm, tough choice at this point in time. So I finish and go read my sock Knitters mail list then start learning how to play Civ IV. The graphics for Civ IV are different then for III or Conquests even. Reminds me more of Warcraft and I'm not
very good at Warcraft.

Went to Boise Bitch and Stitch last night. Was starting a square for a afghan, a simple bramble stitch or so I thought before I started. Casted on 22 stitches, K1, [(K, P, K), P3tog] five times, K1. After the fourth row, I count stitches. 20. What?! No problem, increase two stitches to
fudge it, work the next row. Purl back, count again. Fraggin' 20 again! GRRR!! So in frustration I rip it all out, then sit and talk. Think I'll place stitch markers between the five groups and try it again. I'll be able to see where the dropped stitch happens.

The day is almost over. I would love to be home sleeping, but still have 1.5 hours to go. It's the home run stretch. I've had a pretty good day. Think I can sail home now. :)

It's been a while since I've posted here. I've just been lazy. Plus, I've been really stressed about work. I've come to the conclusion, I want to be rich. Since I'll never inherit a bunch of money, I'll need to work for it. There is always that slim chance the lottery would come through, but until that day it's work time.

DeLeah's sister wants me to knit her several items. Made a prototype of the hat she wants. Showed it to my dad, he went on to tell me what changes need to happen. Which is a good thing, I need to know what my customer wants. I figure I'll start on a pair of thrummed mittens here in a bit. It will be good experience for me. Plus, they are suppose to be incredibly warm. Maybe I should make a pair for me. :) My aunt gave me a bunch of yarn last night. It's an acrylic, but one that I like working with. I will be able to make several hat, scarf, and mitten sets with it.

Mike has been sick for the past couple of days. If he feels anything like how I felt, then he's really sick. He's not one to stay home and sleep, when he doesn't feel well. I on the other hand, will sleep all day if given the chance.

Another fun day at work. I solved several problems and feel pretty good. To really make things better, I've moved out of the hand-holding area. Tomorrow I'll be on my own (mostly) and Monday be on my real team. Things will be very interesting from this point out.

I've finished my first sock. It does look pretty good. I've started my second one and keep thinking, I'm more then half way down with this pair. The husband has been hinting he wants more socks made, that don't have to have a pattern. He's also been implying I need to fix his bio-hazard socks. Sure it was a bad design on my part. I think I'll just rip back two rows and just bind off. He can't whine to much if I get them finished. Granted, they were done, but started unraveling. :( I think I just like top down better.

Getting that much closer to finishing my sweater. I have to keep thinking, I'm almost to the yoke. Or will be soon as I finish the front. On the plus side, I'm working both at the same time.
I really need to get pictures going, otherwise my blog won't be as kewl as the others.

Today's Better!

Yesterday was just a crappy, crappy, crap day. Okay, yesterday morning was. The teenaged daughter has been driving the car and left it on empty for me to drive to work. I only drive to work one day a week. I was later to work then what I wanted to be. I should have known it was only down hill from there. Started out by getting my admin account, a good thing. Then the tension started rising. I couldn't reach the database. It kept asking for a user name & password. Tried it over and over, no luck. Took someone else pointing out that maybe I was locked out. sure enough. Had to change my password to something else. An account was put into my name, it was really my fault. I didn't put in enough information. The fact it wasn't my case to begin has little bearing on the issue. There is nothing worse then crying on the job. :(

On the plus side, I've started the toe of my sock. I switched colors because I'm really afraid, I won't have enough yarn left for the second sock. There is knitting get together tonight. Will most likely just stay for an hour or so. 3:45 am comes way to early. I'll be working on my sweater found at: http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/PATTmariah.html Can't wait until I have it done.

I'm been trying to figure out what my next project will be for me. I've got some dark purple microspun. I'm thinking maybe something like Tempting II found at: http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter05/PATTtemptingII.html. I'll need to swatch before I just jump and go, but Mike's sweater will be first. He wants a cardigan. It's a good thing he wheres the items I knit for him. ;)

Was Busy, But Now....

Monday was a holiday but I was at work. Granted, I wasn't working overly hard but I was there. Today, on the other hand, I've been very busy. It's been very busy, until about half an hour ago. Not really complaining. :)

I got a great knitting book for Christmas, pulled it out the day before and learned how to do a new type of heel. It looks very neat. I'll force the husband to get pictures, so they can be posted. I'll need to start measuring soon for my new sock. Now I'm worrying if I'll have enough yarn for the second one. Maybe I'll do the toes in a different color.

The youngest daughter is in trouble, so she's laying pretty low. She works tonight, but has to wait for us to get home so she can have the car keys. I'll be holding on to them this weekend as well, since I volunteered to work. Just the meanest mommy in the world.