Way out in the Middle of Nowhere

I was thinking about this so maybe it's time to address bullying in a different way: by a story.  You see, I'm the only one in the knitting group who has been kicked out of a Knit Along. Ok, as I say it, "I was asked to leave."  a knit-along.  Yeah. because I called out the List Mom on bullying. I used to join Knit Alongs.  The jist of them is that the person running the knit along - the List Mom - puts out a section of a chart or directions each week and you knit that part, not knowing what you'll get for a design until the end. The knit alongs is run through a email group, which allows you to control how many people are in the group and who gets what kind of message. Each week the email goes out to gather up another clue and others chat about things and post pictures of their progress.   It's a great way to get a few thousand people to test-knit your designs.  Heck, one of my favorite shawls was made that way: Dem Fisher Sin Fru from Monika Eckert ...

A knitting pattern for a shawl. Based on the 1/2 linen stitch knitting pattern, it makes a great striped effect when done in two skeins. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bzee85NJjrtbRGVkdFdZRk1NUVU/edit?usp=sharing Happy Easter!

Technically, it's Spring.  Technically is the key word here. Let's take a look outside, shall we? Yeah, that's a loaner car next to the van, my car's in the shop again. ~sigh~  My family keeps asking me why I go to the dealer to get my car worked on when there's others who would do it cheaper.  Yeah, but they don't give me loaner cars.  I've got things to do every. single. day. that require a car. And the car rental places charge $50/day for a car.  So...is that really cheaper than the dealer? No. Not even close!  And like I told the Supervisor over there on Friday, I'm giving those mechanics a chance to learn how to fix 'old school' cars without computers, with carburetors etc.  They need the challenge, right? I've been working on a new shawl pattern called, "Blessed Days."  The first one was knitted from handspun wool from a grab bag offered on Etsy. I emailed the lady the pattern, thought she could use it as a marketi...

Sissy likes to chew on my hair, even in winter.  She finds a lock sticking out of my hat and chews on it.  Well, in order to do so she has to be on my lap, so I let her up and she chews and I tell her how she's a good goosie and such. Last night I was telling tall tales of this thing called 'spring'.   When the snow melts and green, tasty grass grows as far as the eye can see.  Where good goosies can go and graze on the fresh grass and even snag those tasty chicory blossoms.  Oh, remember those days, Sissy!? This morning is desolate, windy, freeze-your-ass-off cold and nothing but that flipping snow.  This is a view from the garage which has been turned into a shelter for the animals.  The door is left open, fresh food and water are laid out, and a layer of straw sits on the floor.  It gives a wind break from the freezing flipping wind. It's supposed to be my "Spring Break' here.  Spring Break my ass! It's snowing! It's freezing! I'm...

A truly British term that means more than surprise or astounded: Gobsmacked.  Dave's out doing morning chores.  He offered and I stood there, gobsmacked.  He got offended. I apologized, but I was still gobsmacked.   7 days a week I schlep my lazy butt out early in the morning to let out the animals.  I tote out 3 buckets of water for fresh drinking water plus swimming water.  Bleary-eyed, I get them out for the morning, listen to the cacophony of honks and quacks and then watch each one for a minute to make sure they are OK. Someone else is going to do this? AWESOME! Even for one morning. Our house guest this week is Tony the Pekin Duck.  See that foot? It's swollen and infected.  So I called out the vet who took a look at it, and the duck and prescribed antibiotics for the guy. It's not quite bumble foot, but it is the same thing: A Staph infection of the foot. Hard to treat, actually.  The antibiotic is a stron...

Here it is, March 6th and we've gotten another foot of snow.  What is there to say? Nothing positive, I tell you that! I swear I've missed more School this semester than....ever.  You blink and it snows again.  As I take another toke off my inhaler because I just came in from spending another hour on that flipping snowblower....let me tell you what I'm knitting: Tumbling Bunnies is by Julie Tarsha are these cute little stuffed things with feet and socks! I started Alfred yesterday and yes, he needs another leg.  They are fiddly and tough on your hands if  you knit them on size one needles.  My recommendation is yarn and needles that will give you a tight knit on something larger than size 3 needles.