my new obsession

Knitting has been and always will be my obsession. I should define that better. Passion. I am passionate about knitting. It keeps me calm, and focused, sort of like Yoga for the brain.

Photography is quickly catching up to the knitting though. Not only am I trying to get creative with the photos I snap of projects, I carry my little camera around right along with my knitting. I even went as far as stopping in the emergency median on a road trip recently to take photos of some cool stuff on the railroad tracks. (I plan the road trips to allow for time to stop and take pics, too!)

The cool thing is that both are quite portable, and one inspires the other. My rooster is wonderful shades of amber and if I ever run across a  yarn that comes close, I will knit something and it will remind me of him long after he is gone.

 A few recent ones: (click on them- you'll get a larger version. I promise!)

OMG the sun is out! I'm going out to take more photos. Might even knit some more today too..

Turn the page

Oregon State University!

That sounds soo.. intelligent to me. I actually feel intelligent. Even when I do dorky, stupid things like "put something away" and cannot find it until I re-organize several months later, or fail to remember what I was going to my bedroom for. ( I call that "mom syndrome").

I start full-time tomorrow. Tomorrow! that sure flew up my skirt faster than I thought it would. I'm totally ready to get my goals started, finished and off to a new career that pays. Well. With benefits. And things like "my own house" and "my own driveway" and "semi-financial independence" and "kids college funds". Things like that.

Until then, I will be toiling away, neck deep in books, fighting for survival. Thank GOD for knitting. In the grand scheme of things, yarn is more satisfying than any $300/hr therapist. ( not that I need one, just sayin')

I finally got to a pair of socks that needed to be worked up a long time ago.

I had some leftover sock yarn and combined them to make a pair for Joe. Added to the Christmas box.

Have a great Sunday. I'm off to read other blogs I enjoy. (There a quite a few)

tech writing is evil

Wowzers. I have been working on a final for my Tech Writing class and it is taking forEVer.
I write and write and write and write. Then I look at the word count "445" WTH!


     My son was watching "UP" and I could hear Kevin whining about pulling that house around with Mr. Fredrickson and decided to offer up my version:


‎*whiney voice* It's like a gangliojillion words long and my eyes hurt and my elbow hurts and I hate fonts and formatting and Times New Roman for the rest of my life and I will never be a tech writer unless the deepest circle of hell freezes over and OMG don't EVEN get me started with cut/paste bullshit...*whiney voice off* 


Did I say this was taking epic time status? mumblebacktostupidreportmumble..


But, you evil tech report, I have the upper hand, oh yes! I have a sock sitting right next to me at the computer desk that I can escape to and knit a few rounds and process what I am going to say next. I even ran away to my blog to enter this post. HA! You will NOT defeat me, evil tech report! I will triumph in the end, Yarrr!


Sigh. Now I have to get back to that endless, dreary, mind numbing, format helling, I-want-to-kill-something tech report... sigh.


Everyone ELSE gets to have a  great day. 

change is good. sometimes.

Well. How about that?
I'm tlot-tlot-tlotting along in the game of life, thinking all is well. I got registered at Oregon State University for Spring term. (yay!)  Ready to cut back hours at work. (yay!) Getting a decent tax return so as to pay off a few looming bills- including the car. (BIG yay!)
Then...
   Good old Fate comes at me from her toes with a left hook, blindsiding me. I was bracing myself, but still, one is never totally ready for a left hook from Fate. I don't care who you are.

My wonderful little boy has Asperger's syndrome.

The insecure me pretty much fell apart for a few days (ya think!?!). I got on the pity pot and sat. What could I have done different? was it me? It's all my fault. His dad was such a jerk. yaddah yaddah...
Then the tough me: "WTF!! This has to be somebody's fault! NOT mine! God, you are mean!" blah blah blah...

Then I did some research. I found a support group. I think I can handle it. I hope I can handle it. I am a mother after all. And a knitter. I love that little guy  like there's no tomorrow. I want to be everything he needs, because I'm all he has.

I remember a great quote from the movie "Duma".

 "Change happens. That's the way it is all the time. The little boy that is with me now is not the same little boy that left home. See? Change."  ~Ribcuna

                                                  Hat #10 for the 1000 hat project.

                                        My new mitts. Actually yes, they are for me!
                                                           How cool is that!
                                                Soy/wool blend. Very soft and almost shiny.

                                                  
Even though I know I will have my weak moments ( I am human after all- just don't tell anyone), I know everything will be alright. I have to believe that, no matter what the change.

skillz- I haz them

I have been knitting for years. Decades, actually. So, learning new stuff here and there was just a natural maturation of my needlework lifestyle.

But today. Today, I honored my knitting ancestors. Today, I have catapulted myself into the world of "expert" .(my opinion, by the way ;)

Today, I mastered the fisherman's "Filey" pattern from Gladys Thompson's Patterns for Guernseys Jerseys and Aran's. By which I mean, not the knits and purls, and patterns, but by which that I .. (pause for effect)...

cabled without a cable needle.


I rock! Oh yeah! Coolio me!!

Photos soon. I"m busy basking in my own light. If you felt the earth's temperature rise a degree or two, it's really not global warming. Nor is it the Volcano in Iceland. That was me, being awesome. ;)

Happy Sunday!

to me from me love me

Valentine's day wasn't much fun for me. Nobody to send flowers, chocolate or the like. Most of the time that doesn't bother me.
This year it did.
I think it's because I will be 45. I think I am having a midlife meltdown. It is a process, and as long as I'm aware of it, I suppose I'll be alright.
(oh b.s., Marilyn. this is your heart speaking. I'm really empty. Tired of waiting for the right person to come along. What the hell, girl? You are running out of time!)

Excuse me. something got stuck in my eye.

My present to me:

Carolina Yarn Bell. Earth and Sky color. I want all five colorways.

Happy Valentine's Day, Marilyn. Keep it together, someone will find you. Never give up.

determination

I finally ordered it! My Carolina Yarn Bell! I bought the "land and sky" version. I find it amazing how a simple piece of pottery will make my everyday knitting experience that much more beautiful.

And, Speaking of beautiful, Here's what I've been working on lately:

My latest quest is my new blog, http://1000hatproject.blogspot.com/ . It is my way of making a few extra dollars as well as making a statement about how a single mom can go to college online without scholarships (since that little detail has seem to fallen behind in the scholarship community)

I have an average of three hats at a time on the sticks. I took a quick detour to cast on "Girl Friday" http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall09/PATTgirlfriday.php for my mom. I totally spaced out  the little chestnut of information that her birthday is next Monday.  I know. "dude! that's Valentine's day! HOW could you forget that!?!" I know, I know. My only excuse is that it's been a crazy weekend due to homework, sick boy, and worrying about how to pay for college.

I have a reclaimed stash of yarn from Drops called "Alaska" in color 36 (deep plum) saved a few years ago from a frogged sweater I was making for my brother's Ex. (Good thing I didn't finish it, eh? that yarn is NOT cheap).

So here I am, blogging furiously so I can get  busy on the project to try and furiously finish. The back is 81 stitches, 4" of k1,p1 ribbing to get done before I go to  bed. Better find another pair of size 8 straights. I could start the fronts and get the ribbing all done at the same time.. Then I could sleep four hours a night, stay up all night Friday.. nap saturday.. mumble mumble..yeah. I am certifiable.