What a painful mistake

Yesterday was, indeed, record high temperatures. It hit 87 degrees. Since I had accompanied a friend to her infusion appointment there was no bike riding so I just thought I'd have her drop me at the office and then I'd walk home after work. To that end I wore low(ish) heeled slip on shoes which were very comfortable and also cute and no stockings, because it was hot. Things are really busy around here this week -- finals, meetings and the guy I'm attending the geek meeting with in late June was also around starting to get stuff together for our little show and tell. Anyway I finally headed out around 4:45 to walk the 3 miles home. Oh it was gorgeous! Just a little breeze so it wasn't stifling hot. I had my iPod and I was just walking along, enjoying the scenery and the music. I did have the foresight to put a couple of band-aids in my purse just in case my shoes might rub a spot on my feet. The walk from my new office to the top of the campus is a mile, maybe a touch more. And sure enough, about that time I needed to stop and put a little band-aid on the top of my foot but it wasn't bad. In fact I was doing just fine until maybe the end of mile 2. That's when I noticed that the balls of both of my feet were feeling a little odd. And by the time I hit 65th, where the 3rd Place Books is I was definitely in pain. I started taking my shoes off at this point and walking in the grass parking strips whenever I could. I've rarely been so very very happy to see my own front gate. Yes - blisters on the bottoms of both my feet! I could barely hobble the rest of the night. Lesson learned: Never walk any distance in bare feet in any kind of heels!! And oh yes, there were running shoes in my office I could have put on. Don't think that thought didn't cross my mind about a million times.

And hobble around I did, because when I got home my new plants were in several different states of heat exhaustion. My rhodies were drooping and they looked the worst so I started with them. I had purchased a flat hose with holes in it which is much more efficient for watering the beds than the back and forth model I had for the lawn. They perked right up and this morning look like before. I also had to get the window fan from the basement and put it in my bedroom. Since it was the first very hot day it wasn't that bad in there, but I do enjoy having the fan and now I don't have to worry about it.

When I finally settled down after all my chores and paper reading and dinner I thought I'd finish up that first front of the Airy Wrap-around and I almost got there. I have about 5 rows to go. But Tink was wanting to play and it was almost time to go to bed anyway so I left it for tonight. I hope I can get the second side done more quickly. Now that I know how many eyelet repeats to do I won't be stopping all the time to measure. I must say I love the detail in this pattern. It really doesn't come through in the pictures in the book and, as someone else observed, when you do have the ties wrapped around you the cable work on the lower back is mostly covered up. But YOU know it's there. I wish I had it today. It's cooler today and it would be perfect with what I'm wearing. Instead I'm using my Kureyon Flower Power shrug. I sure have gotten a lot of use out of that.

I have to proctor an exam this morning - only 45 minutes of it, which is pretty sweet. And a late meeting at 3:30, which is going to throw my whole evening off! Work - I hate when it cuts into my social time, don't you? I am meeting some people at 6 and I don't know when I'm going to have time to walk Tink. Well, I won't is the thing. Maybe I can go home at lunchtime and let her out for a while ..... I probably should do that.

And speaking of things I probably should do - got to start thinking about my June gift for my secret pal!

Hot hot hot!

Yes ... it's hot today! I was reading that we may set a new record, it's going to be that hot. And then, in the same article, it was saying that they are expecting a cooler than normal June. Now June around here is usually not the best month anyway. It's usually pretty rainy and stays that way until after the 4th of July, when it starts getting nice. Typically. So today we'll really be able to tell if the air conditioning in my little temporary office is going to cut it or not. So far I'm comfortable but it's not even noon yet. Plenty of day left.

Tink and I took advantage of the nice weather yesterday after work and walked down to the Ravenna Ale House for a Stella. I had a good book to read and Tink is always such a good dog when we're out. It was very pleasant. And then it was cool enough to water the flowers. I got some plant food and a nifty spray attachment. I'm waiting until the purple Clematis blossoms open up a bit more before I post more flower pictures.

There was no knitting last night - I read and ate pizza. I did get some good work done on the fronts of the Scoop De Jour this morning while I was at the infusion place with my friend. Only about 1 1/2 inches to go of ribbing. And this time I won't overshoot!

The mystery of the 4 am bird

I'm sure I've complained plenty about the birds in the morning. Once the weather is warm enough to have my window open in the bedroom the days are lengthening and the birds are starting to welcome the day earlier and earlier. Now it's more or less 4 am when the singing begins. Since yesterday was a holiday I wasn't all that disturbed, knowing I didn't have to get up at any particular time, so I listened. I have been curious where that little bugger is sitting because it sounds so close! There aren't any trees outside my bedroom window and I never see birds perched on the fence for more than a few seconds. I listened as the bird's song got more and more complicated and intricate - just one bird. Where are his birdie buddies? Enjoying the concert? I just ... well, maybe I should Google it and find out what the heck is going on because it's just odd to me that I can't hear any other birds. I can hear multiple birds later in the day, but in that early early morning serenade it's a solo performance. Aaaanyway, I was mostly wondering where it was because it sounds as if he's sitting on my windowsill! I figured it out later in the day when I was out fiddling around in my garden. I noticed before that my Rose of Sharon shrub in the corner was a bit yellow and I was concerned about it. I took a close look to see if the buds were withering or more leaves were turning color and that's when I spotted it - bird poo! I looked up and there's a wire. That's where that little singing devil is in the wee hours - so it is practically on my windowsill!

All in all not a bad long weekend, although I might have wished for a little more social activity. Friday was a quiet evening at home, practicing for my Saturday rehearsal. Saturday I got the lawn mowed, having read in the paper that rain was likely for Sunday. I don't DARE miss mowing that grass. As it is, after 6 or 7 days I can barely push the mower through it. Saturday evening's rehearsal was good. I went out afterwards to my local pub but it was dead! There were so many things going on this weekend - the Folklife Festival and Sasquatch just to name two. So it was one pint and home. I wanted to do some gardening on Sunday but the day turned out to be SUPER crappy! Pouring rain and in the 50s. Yuk. It was a knitting day after slogging around the garden store. I was trying to find a replacement head for my Weedwhaker, thought I had purchased the correct thing but turned out I hadn't. I went back to the store on Monday, which was a lovely day, and again purchased the wrong thing! So no edging. But there was some weed pulling. My back garden is just out of control. I think I'm going to have to get some professional help. It's too daunting a task for me. I got some done. I'll just keep chipping away at it.

Knitting-wise I finished up the back of the cardigan and got a start on the ribbing for the fronts. Knitting a sweater in pieces rather than top-down just seems so complicated! But the yarn is yummy (Rowan Calmer) and it's going to be a very wearable garment so I keep at it. Also worked a bunch on the first of two looooong front pieces for the Airy Wrap-Around. Each front piece is more than 50 inches long ... so it can wrap, of course. And it's not just plain knitting (thank goodness) but an eyelet pattern worked in a 12 row repeat to keep your interest. But still, regardless of the large needles it's slow going. It's going to be cute though.

Short and busy week - plus it's nice outside and warm! Tomorrow it's supposed to be downright hot! I've got to get back into my running routine. It's been over a week but my schedule has been so messed up. Hopefully I can get back on track this week. If not - next week for sure. Come to think of it, this week is going to be tough ... I won't get into work tomorrow until after 12 and Thursday and Friday are meetings .... oh well, I'll work it out.

La la la ....

Oh yeah, it's going to be HOT today. And so far they haven't turned the air conditioning on in my little cubby hole so it's stuffy as well. No matter. I'm going to work here this morning and get everything done that absolutely needs to be done and then take off and play with the doggies and, perhaps, do a little knittin'.

I got some wonderful news yesterday with regards to my dad's care for the foreseeable future and I am relieved and haven't a care in the world! Oh yay me! It's astonishing how much better I sleep when I don't have any worries. Now my biggest worry is am I going to get all three of my new songs down before Saturday night as well as the back-ups for the other two. Small worries. Not real worries. Isn't that nice?

There wasn't much knitting done last night. I tried to do some on the front of the Air Wrap-around but I was listening to the back-ups on a song and got off by a stitch on the eyelet row so I put that down. Can't listen and count at the same time, for some reason. Next up was the back of the Scoop de Jour cardigan but again I was trying to watch a show I had recorded and I am at the point where I bind off for the shoulders and work the two halves separately so there's counting to be done and so I'm going to have to dedicate some quiet time to get that finished so I can start up on the other parts. I think this time for a change I'm going to do the front pieces together the way I do the sleeves. Usually when I'm doing a pieced garment I do the sleeves first, together, then the back and then the fronts. This time I started with the back - just a little change up. With a long circular I can easily do both fronts at the same time. They're really not any bigger than the sleeves, odd as that may sound.

Fingers crossed for a nice weekend so I can get some gardening done!

Oh what a gorgeous day!

It is just beautiful outside today. Not too hot, although tomorrow it's supposed to get nearly 80. Just in time for the holiday weekend! Let's hope it stays nice and that the forecast is off. My computer weather forecast says it should rain on Saturday but still be warm. It would be nice to just have a warm and dry weekend for a change.

My June is shaping up nicely. I have decided to go down to California for a weekend to attend a big major birthday bash for a friend. His wife is going crazy - it's like it's a wedding or something! So it'll definitely be a wonderful party and I haven't been down there for a whole year. I can't remember going a year without at least two visits in a long long time. I'm hoping to extend the weekend on one end or the other - hopefully staying over Monday because we will be out late on Saturday and I don't expect I'll feel much like hurrying to the airport Sunday. And as an extra added bonus I will finally be meeting my sister's boyfriend. Although we won't be getting off to the best of starts because she will be taking me to the party rather than him. And then when I come back I'll be at work for a day and then off to the party capital of the world, Salt Lake City, Utah for a meeting. At the very least it'll be wonderful scenery and usually these meetings are quite interesting, in a computer-geek way.

Tink and Jasmine were good doggies last night as I sat and watched "Lost" for (oh this sounds sooooo bad) 3 hours! There was an hour pre-show retrospective thingie and then the two hour finale. We took a little break (thank goodness for the DVR) and went outside for some fun doggie romping and then they just settled down. I didn't get much knitting done. I frogged the portion I needed to of the Scoop de Jour and got the armholes finished and thought I'd better stop because the directions were getting complicated and I was otherwise occupied.

Totally odd week

I am so wacky this week .... kept feeling like Friday to me all morning! I have a friend doing a non-cancer chemotherapy, so I was moral support this morning and I'm working from home this afternoon. And when I work from home it makes me realize how desperately I need to invest in some more RAM for this machine. It is sssssslow when I'm using my web site program. Quite frustrating. I can get the work done but it's as if I'm on dial-up or something. A bonus now that my garden is cleaned up -- I can open the curtains here in my office and look out to flowers. Nice.

I was watching a movie last night and working on the back of my Scoop de Jour. I measured before I went down and figured I had about 8 more rows to go before I started my armhole decreases. Imagine then my surprise when I measured the back and found that I had overshot it by one whole inch!! That's not something one can ignore, so I started picking up stitches so I could rip it back. I wasn't doing well - it's not something you can do with half an eye on the TV and with your work in your lap, so I put it down and that will be my chore this evening before "Lost" finale starts. I took the Airy Wrap to chemo to work on, but there was much too much chatting going on to concentrate on it. It goes quickly though.

Tink and I are hosting Jasmine for the long weekend. We got her today and we'll have her until Monday evening. Let's keep our fingers crossed for good weather the rest of the week. I am hoping to also get some gardening done since I'll have Sunday AND Monday. Saturday I'll have to practice for rehearsal ... since I haven't even downloaded the lyrics for those 3 new songs yet, let along started learning them.

A resting day

The sore throat turned out to be a real sore throat and not just too much singing. Swollen glands, headache .... you know. I gave myself a break today and just stayed in bed. I actually slept until nearly noon! It's been pleasant outside so Tink has been happy laying in the sun and barking at the construction workers across the street (my neighbors have started adding a master suite to their house - a new floor) and the odd dog or jogger. I finished the sleeve of the Airy Wrap-around and picked up the stitches for the right front. I don't know that the yarn fuzz is doing anything to help my headache but I don't feel like reading. What I wouldn't give to be on a nice warm beach, listening to the waves. My friends Steve and Ginny are in Hawaii and every evening at cocktail hour Steve sends me a picture of his current umbrella cocktail, blue skies in the background. I can almost hear that cheesy Hawaiian music.

I had such weird fever dreams last night. The one I can remember best involved being a house guest at Arnold Schwarzenegger's beach house. I kept making fun of his accent(!) ... couldn't stop myself. And cozied up to Maria, asking her if she baked much. Where does this stuff come from??

I have three new songs to learn for Saturday and backups for another two but I don't feel much like doing that either. I was hoping to be feeling much better by now but here it is nearly 5 pm and I'm still dragging. I've got lots of stuff to do tomorrow and a meeting with the chairman on Thursday so I'd better get it together, right?

I was tagged AND had a fun weekend

First time this has happened to me. A meme tag. I'll do the tag first, then the weekend update, such as it is.
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I have been tagged by Baa Bonny Belle!
Here are the rules:
Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog.
Here goes...

1. I have never watched "The Sound of Music."
2. I can't swim.
3. I adore peanut butter and dill pickle sandwiches.
4. When I was a little girl I begged my parents to change my name to Kathy.
5. I still have my senior prom dress .... AND my junior prom dress.
6. I collect heart shaped things .... boxes mostly, but I'm hoping to one day add a diamond. ;-)
7. I only wear Chanel No. 5 perfume.
   

Now, time to tag...

Nonnahs
Sylvie
Karen
Tammy
Kerry
Nic
Shar
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Okay ... now for the weekend update. Friday evening I started getting my house back in order. I tidied up the downstairs mostly because that is where my nephew was staying. I got a good start on the "Scoop de Jour" cardigan (pattern thanks to my Secret Pal). I'm using Rowan Calmer in an icy blue - I guess I'd call it aqua maybe? It was an early night and therefore I woke up super early Saturday. The weather report was for partly cloudy with showers and it was windy outside. I knew I had to get the lawn mowed at least and I read in the paper that if one was planning on doing outside chores then Saturday was the day to do it. It was also the weekend for the University District Street Fair and I wanted to take a walk over to people watch but it was rather chilly and very windy so Tink and I just walked down to the bookstore and I had a coffee and muffin and Tinkie got loved up by everybody coming in and going out of the bookstore! I did something I haven't done for a long time .... I just laid on the couch and read for hours. No knitting. No housework. Just reading and it was lovely, although the book had a very sad ending. But what a nice way to spend the afternoon. I did, in fact, also get the lawn done and not a minute too soon. Of course it started raining in earnest around 3:30 so I was very smug about getting my grass mowed.

Sunday it poured. I mean POURED rain all day, which was fine. I only had a couple errands to run and then spent a couple hours working on my songs for the band rehearsal Sunday night. After a three ... no four week break(!) it was fantastic to get back to work and we had a GGRRRREAT rehearsal! I have gotten a lot of my range back and felt more confident. It has been so long and I truly didn't know if I had it in me still to belt it out. I sure hate rehearsing on a Sunday night because by the time I could get to sleep it was after midnight. Next week we're doing it on Saturday night so it won't be any big deal. I have a terrible sore throat this morning. I don't know if it's from singing so hard or allergies or what. I was awfully cold last night. Well ... I guess we'll see. Fingers crossed it's just over use and not a virus.

Taking one for the team

I got up extra early today -- got into the office before 8. Both of the women who occupy the "main office" (such as it is, since we are all scattered for the remodel) are out today so the Administrator was asking for volunteers to sit in the office for 1 1/2 hours at a time so packages could be delivered, people would have access to the mailboxes, etc. Since I have to go out to see my Dad and take my nephew to the airport I figured I'd volunteer for the first shift so I could take off for most of the rest of the day sans guilt. So ... here I sit in a fishbowl. Only one more hour to go and the coffee is nearby and very good.

I drove in, of course, since I am rushed and have a party this afternoon so I don't want to be all sweaty and icky. Anyway, as I was walking to the building from the garage I noticed a man on a bicycle pedaling with the middle of his foot! Why oh why do people do that??? I see people using their heels as well! It's just plain wrong.

1. It looks stupid
2. It's totally inefficient
3. It looks really stupid!!!

I finished up the Noro bag and felted it Wednesday night. It only shrunk 2 inches but it's a perfect size for projects. Here are before and after photos. I haven't cleaned up the fuzz yet but you can get an idea.
This is prefelted (obviously).

And this is felted. I will carry this. But oh heavens, I just couldn't WEAR it! Perfect colors for a bag though.

My garden in May

What I like about spring

It's unpredictable. Yesterday it was nearly 80 degrees. Today .... about 20 degrees cooler. I don't mind. It lets us ease into summer.

And speaking of ease -- that's what I took yesterday. I felt a strong need for a "Shelley" day and so I took one. I slept. I wrapped and sent my Secret Pal's gift. I did one thing for work. Otherwise it was all about enjoying the sunny day and not worrying about anything or anybody. I did a little knitting on the soon to be felted bag. I'm almost done with it and if I had stayed up late I could have finished the knitting but the fun part is putting it in the washing machine so I figured I might as well go to bed and read and finish the knitting part of it during Wednesday noon knitting and felt it this evening. It looks like it's going to be a useful sized bag. If it turns out nice I think I'll put it on my pattern page. I haven't put anything up there for ages and ages.

I'm trying to decide about vacation. My sister reminded me that it has been a whole year since our cruise! I have spent all of my vacation time in the last year (with the exception of that oh-too-short-but-awesome week in London & Paris) at home doing decidedly NON-vacation type things. I have some friends who live in Paris and every year they rent a gite (a country house) in either the Loire Valley or Normandy for the week of October 27 to November 4. They've invited me again this year to join them but it's right in the middle of autumn quarter. I would so love to go and I have until the end of July to let them know, but it seems pretty unlikely. I'll have to take a hard look at the class schedules and see if it's even possible. I am not at all keen on the professor I work with at the end of Autumn quarter so I wouldn't mind too much disappointing him, it's just the mess that I would have to return to .... well no sense borrowing trouble. I will for sure look into it. But that's a LOOOONG way away and I need to be looking for a break a little earlier than October or November. Well at least there's a 3 day weekend coming up at the end of the month. Looking on the bright side.

The best laid plans ....

Yes yes I know I said I'd have close up pictures of the growing garden but it just didn't happen. I had a crazy weekend. Friday afternoon I had a couple of appointments and by the time I got home it was nearly 7 pm and I was hungry and exhausted. I just made a simple dinner for my nephew and myself and watched basketball with him as I started frogging that Noro sweater.

Saturday I was determined to use the weed whacker to edge my lawn and garden before I mowed it. I had to run out to visit my dad, ran a few (million?) errands, but then got home and got to work. Oh, but could I get that edger to work?? What do you think? I remembered the guy I hired last summer using it and him not being content with the line on the spool and winding a larger one on the spool. I thought that might be the problem so I found other stuff AND dug out the directions and rewound the spool with smaller, recommended sized line. But it still wouldn't feed. I think I'm not installing the spool correctly. I tried and tried and TRIED but the written directions didn't speak to me - I couldn't get it. I finally gave up and put it away with the intention of going to the hardware store to purchase a pre-wound spool and get some hands-on assistance on Sunday. So I just mowed the front AND back and watered and that was enough.

I had big plans for Sunday. I was going to get up early and do some work in the back jungle before heading over to my little nephew's for a Mother's Day brunch, then hardware store for an edger tutorial ....HAD big plans. What really happened was that I had insomnia Saturday night, finally got to sleep at 4 am Sunday morning and didn't wake up until 11:30 Sunday morning! Because I had gotten up in the middle of the night Tink got an extra piddle and so she just slept along with me! I was due for my brunch at 11:30 so .... well I was only 45 minutes late. Quick trip out to see Dad for a few minutes and it was nearly 3:30 by the time I got back home. And cloudy to boot. So I said the heck with taking pictures and, having finished frogging the sweater, I started work on a felted bag and just relaxed. My nephew came home to watch to the basketball game (oh how I hate basketball -- the playoffs go on for ever!!) and I made a nice dinner and that was it. I did have a great night's sleep for a change.

Now let me make just a small comment about musicians. Perhaps it could even be called a rant .... No matter if they're 15 or 50, musicians are by and large flakes. I was SO looking forward to rehearsing this weekend. It's been 3 weekends that I haven't been able to get out there because my sister was in town and/or they (the guys) were working on their "guy" songs On their own time they're supposed to be learning the "girl" songs. The bass player's wife had been out of town for a week or more in China, and he was the one that needed the most work on those songs. But he admitted to the leader on Friday that he hadn't even worked on them once all week, so a Friday rehearsal was out of the question, Saturday the leader had plans that he had already canceled once before AND the bass player couldn't come to rehearsal on Sunday after all because his wife was coming back to town. So no rehearsal this weekend. Ah well, at least we don't have an imminent gig.

It's going to be nice for the next couple of days - in the 70s. So I brought shorts to run it. That'll be the first time this year. I felt a bit out of place last week when I was the only person I saw running in long pants.

I'm working on my second package for my secret pal. I am doing a red theme and got something really gorgeous in the mail for her Saturday. I'd better pack this stuff up before I change my mind!!

It worked!!

I stuck something in the ground, watered it and *presto* ... flowers!! Actually .... Kelli put it in the ground but the reason I'm so excited is that we bought two rhodies that were just full of buds but looking a bit stressed. They were large and the price was right so we took a chance and yesterday evening as I was watering I noticed that they both are starting to bloom! I'm going to take my fancy camera out this weekend and take some close ups of the flowers. The pictures I posted of the whole yard really aren't very pretty because you can't see the flowers. The Columbine are just so gorgeous! And the red red crimson red carpet roses .... well hopefully we'll be getting some good weather this weekend and I can practice with my camera taking close nature shots. I haven't even scratched the surface as far as that camera is concerned!

I visited my LYS yesterday for their Mother's Day sale. All regular priced yarns are 20% off and then there are clearance boxes. I was just intending to get the Koigu KPPPM for the trim on the Tahoe cardigan and the Rowen 4 ply for the Isabella tank but then I couldn't resist two skeins of sock yarn that I had meant to purchase before and they were out (must have had more in the back) .... really cute combo of self-patterning in purples and pinks that I loved. And .... I couldn't pass up 8 skeins of a Bouton d'Or linen blend in (what else) a green-y golden color. It would be perfect for a little cardigan or shrug. I'd rather have a cardigan but I don't know if 800 yards is going to be enough. Because of the fabulous drape this is going to have I thought some belled sleeves would be nice. This is so lovely that the pattern needs to be simple to show off the yarn so what I'll probably do is just wing it and do a raglan deep V cardigan, stop the body when the raglan is complete and do the sleeves like I want them, then finish the body making it as long as it'll go with the yarn. That's how I did that TDR turtleneck (of course I won't make the same mistake of the HUGE armholes). It's more important that the sleeves are the way I want them. It doesn't really matter how long the body of the cardigan is. So .... one more project to my already too long list.

And I have decided to dismantle the raglan and cabled Noro Kureyon sweater I made last autumn. Here's the deal --- it's UGLY. It's toooooo much. The sweater itself, the design, is nice and it fits well. But every time I even think of wearing this sweater and I put it on ... I take it right off. This is not the case with the striped scarf I made from Kureyon nor the vest that I just finished and I have figured out why. It's alternating two different colorways that makes it wearable and not so circus-y. (I'll take pictures of that finished vest this weekend too.) The alternating every two rows makes it colorful but because there are always neutral colors in the skeins it somehow tones it down into a garment that is interesting, not scary. You can see that from the back of the vest here - there are bright colors but it's muted and toned down by the neutral other stripes that show up. So I'm going to frog this whole thing and make a felted bag or two out of it. Then at least I would be getting some use from it, rather than shuddering every time I look at it!

Things are calming down

I am completely moved into my office and even have laminated a sign for my door. Not the last time but the time before I was in Paris I had purchased some cards with old photographs of the city and one of them is just so beautiful that each time I would try to send it to someone I would stop and put it away. It's a picture of the Eiffel Tower with some sort of parade underneath and clouds of birds flying around. In reality probably not so nice - it's most likely a military parade from WWII and those are pigeons, but when have I let reality ruin things for me, eh? I like the picture and it's something nice in an otherwise dreary hallway. I am at the end of the hall and therefore can use the side entrance, which is handy. The only thing ...(and it's a huge thing in my opinion) .... is this odor that comes and goes. It's a very very nasty smell. I am going to get some incense to burn in my office although I suspect that someone in the building will complain because that's what people do, isn't it? Will I have the guts to ask them the question? "So, you'd rather smell that horrid smell than incense???" Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Yesterday I spent the morning being moral support for a friend having a (not for cancer) chemotherapy infusion. Thank goodness it went well - better than expected - and it gave us a couple of hours to chat, which we haven't had for a while due to the weirdness of our lives these past two weeks. One of the strange things is that my ex-husband (her brother) died very suddenly Saturday before last and we hadn't really had a chance yet to talk about that. Anyway .... I got some knitting done and we got some good chatting done and she had a positive experience. Life, while weird and capricious, isn't so bad.

I worked from home for what was left of the afternoon since my dad was having surgery and I wanted to be closer to the hospital in case I was needing to run over there. Things went well for him and I got some work done.

Last night I finished up the stripped vest and got all of the ends tucked in. I need to photograph it but it's lovely, it fits and I have a green linen shirt that exactly matches one of the greens in the colorway. And I mean exactly. Pretty smooth.

This lunchtime I'm going to walk up to the LYS, which is having it's annual sale. I need some Koigu KPPPM for the contrasting color for the Tahoe cardigan I'm making from Knitty. I got some gorgeous powder blue Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora on sale at Webs and it's going to make a great cardigan. Then I also will look at Rowan 4 ply Cotton to make the Isabella also from Knitty. Two patterns from the same issue .... well, I'm not totally 100% committed to Isabella. Size 3 needles, people. That is just one size bigger than my sock needle. Yikes.

I'm also going to order some yarn from Elann for my Secret Pal's next package. I've got a couple things at home for her but I need some more yarn and then, hopefully, I can get that off to her next week early.

Just a wee bit of knitting for a change

Oddly, since I have professed time and again how much I HATE gardening, I have been fussing around my little renewed garden quite a bit and keep looking closely at the plants for growth. In the pictures it looks so bare and sterile, even after all the hours of work, but I am going to try to hold off planting any more until things start growing. I have plans for a bit more clean up in the front and then I'll tackle the back jungle. I suspect that is going to cure me of my current gardening love affair. What I truly NEED to do, and soon(!), is "man up" and use the weed whacker. The lawn is growing so quickly and of course I can't mow close enough to the fence on the south side of the yard so I'm going to have to scary, noisy thing. Better do it this weekend before it gets too tall.

I did get the front of the Morestripes finished last weekend. Then I took out my "new" sewing machine for the first time and sewed the steek. And then, by golly, I cut it! I have a picture of that too but it's not very good because I was taking it on my own, one handed and the camera was a bit unsteady. It wasn't difficult. Two lines of sewing on each side made it easy to see where I should be cutting. I picked up the stitches and just last night finished up the 8 rows of ribbing around the V-neck. Now to do the armholes and I'll be done. It's going to be nice with a little white tank under. And I'm not scared of steeks anymore and in fact can't wait to do another one. This time I want to do the armholes as well.

Yesterday I got pretty much settled into my new office and today I need to finish unpacking (one crate left). It's not so bad, actually. I thank whomever was in charge of leaving the trees in front of my window. So I don't need to stare at the trucks and such (seems the crane is not going to be outside my window after all - whew!). There will be truck traffic and I can hear the street noise because I need to keep my window open since there is now ventilation to speak of. It's a much smaller office than I had before - only 9x9. Plenty of shelving and I'm at the end of a hallway so it's quiet except for the aforementioned street noise. Always got the iPod if I'm going crazy with it.

I had an AWESOME run yesterday lunchtime after a week off. The weather is absolutely gorgeous for a change so I think I'm going to run again today, just because it's so beautiful outside.

Garden Before and After

My sister is gone. We had a pretty nice week. There could have been a little more fun, but that's life. We did get the garden done and some excellent shopping. It was amazing how quickly we get the yard in shape. A couple of afternoons of hard work. It looks a little sterile and bare but once the plants get growing it's going to be lovely. Right now it looks clean which is a wonderful change.

This first picture is my sister, Kelli and the red arrow is pointing to the bed - not yet prepared for plants. Here's the after of that side. There is a purple clematis far left and far right a pink peony. In between are two types of lavender plants with some purple lobelia and some other white bedding plants.

Here is a before picture of the area by the front fence. It was a mess and there was nothing planted there. The garbage and recycle cans stood there and it was such an eyesore! I still don't know what I'm going to do with the yard waste can - probably keep it in the back. I've also moved the garbage and recycle bins to the side of the house where I used to keep them. Now it is all cleaned out. There is a white climbing hydrangea in the corner, two pink Rhodie's (which probably won't bloom this year) and two orangie/purple clematis plants. They should bloom this year but won't be spectacular until next year (I hope).

Along the north fence there were some iris plants that I could never get to bloom and bulbs and lots of weeds. Now there is a Rose of Sharon in the corner, pink Azaleas and scarlet carpet roses. This isn't a very good shot but when there are blooms I'll take more pictures.

Finally, in front of the windows I left the big pink rose bush, we scored my favorite rose (Angel Face) and also planted some purple and cream colored Columbine and white African daisy plants, which would spread out.

The grass is growing like crazy! I have to mow it every five days now or it gets too tall. I am grateful that it took so well.

So .... I did do a bit of knitting but I'll leave those pictures for later. It's 5:30 and I haven't even gotten to read the paper yet today. I have to go back to work tomorrow and it's going to be crazy. My stuff was moved into my new office but I will have to unpack.

How's this for bad luck

A house full of people and my dryer breaks AGAIN! I can't believe it but it's true. Last night I'm getting ready for my nephews to fly in and I'm doing laundry and the clothes were not getting dry. It took a while for the penny to drop since I just had it repaired about six months ago. Ah well. So as I write I'm printing out instructions on how to repair a dryer because I' m pretty sure that between my sister and my two nephews we can do it ourselves! Oh yeah!

No knitting except a bit on a sock. Too busy running back and forth from the hospital, etc. Got the garden done though and it's gorgeous! I little sparse but it'll fill in. I'll get pictures up this weekend I hope.