knitting with friends

taken yesterday at the convalescent hospital,
having lunch on the patio with James

kvetchup on your fluff?

Yah, I know. Where'd I go?
Every single day I have thought about blogging my life's petty dramas, but ringing in my ears is the voice of my grandfather:

"If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

Here's a funny little disconnect for you, though. Even though I recall these being my grandfather's words, I am not sure that I ever heard him actually say them. In actuality, I think it was always my mother saying, "You know, your grandfather always used to say.....," yet I still mentally process the whole schpeel as coming from him. Interesting, aint it?

Anyhow. "Not saying anything at all" is exactly what I have doing here at the blog, obvioulsy. A couple of people that know me real time have said, "Sooooooooo...I've noticed you haven't be posting much," but it wasn't until tonight when I was having dinner at my folks (and by the way, they let me knit after dinner at the table this time---woohoo!) that I realized what my last post was. Mom said, "....cuz I'm really gettin' sick of seeing that old guy in the hallway!"

Oh jeez. Sorry about that kids. Even though I was hoping it had an effect.

But back to avoiding the blog as a way of avoiding complaining (hint: it's not working. Wherever you go, there you are.). If you follow along, this is old news: I am a chronic complainer. I have determined that this is my nature, and that complaining (out loud) is a crucial step in my process of "letting it go". And I can't stand that I do it. And I am trying to change it. And it's a very hard habit to break. Gah. I know that I still need to "process" things.....that part is never going to change....but I'd love it if my process was a wee bit different. I'm not sure yet if that means more quietly, more quickly, or just less. Or something entirely different.

Meanwhile, as I still bumble through my days bitching about all the injustices point at meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee....I do know that when I look around me at the "state of things" that I really have not much to complain about. Often times throughout the day I find myself feeling grateful for things big and small, and I truly find life to be amazing and wonderful, and I feel completely blessed with the current state of things. Then some asswipe cuts me off in traffic so badly that I fear for my safety, or the cats let a live lizard loose in my bedroom, or a friend dumps me, or reahearsing for the concert gets all goofed up....and then I'm kvetching again. *sigh*

Here's some fluffy photos for you while I sort it all out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm still having fun with the spinning. This came in the mail in April from A Verb For Keeping Warm (the Wooly Wonders Fiber Club).

It's 4oz of 100% Corriedale wool, colorway "The Candle's Nimble Flame". I spun it up using a spindle.

that's my fancy new plying tool from Golding

I spun up all 4 ounces and then spun up another single out of BFL and plied it all together. I have about 350 yards total, and it came out to be a sport weight. Here's a link in Ravelry.


I have no idea what I'm going to knit with it yet. I was thinking it would make an awesome Baby Surprise Jacket because the color repeats are so long, but TheBon was kind enough to remind me that it isn't superwash. I have no desire to make my mommy-friends hate me for having to handwash, so scrap that one. I think it will be a scarf of some sort. I've been swatching a couple of stitch patterns.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I also knit this big fat scarf. Ravelry Link.




The buttons are vintage shell.
Pattern here. I really enjoyed knitting it up. I would totally do this again. My version is in a Super Bulky yarn, which may be a bit of overkill, but I think it looks great. Probably won't get much use 'til next winter though---the weather up here already has us up into the 80's!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There IS lots to write about. This is my blog, and this should be an outlet, and I think about it. every. single. day.
And at the same time, I am just sick to death of listening to myself.
I'm not sure if that makes any sense, and I don't have any idea what to do about it.
Kinda sucks.