Friday, October 27, 2006

Wouldn't Ya Know?

Needless to say a lot of stuff has happened since my last post!

On the Good News Front - the newer hats for my friend's baby girl do fit her and they are coming in useful, I managed to send off 2 pink scarves to the Think Pink Project drive in time, I was able to send a box of Halloween cheer to a fellow Universal Monster fan stationed overseas, I got a free flu shot at work, I met a couple of my old high school classmates last Saturday for a catchup session (it's been about 30 years or more), I managed to send some of the TV show episodes from last season that I had taped for a friend overseas to him in time for his birthday, they are shampooing the carpet in my office tonight (hopefully the stain from spilled ginger ale will come out), Oh and today is my birthday.

On the other hand - I came down with a sore throat right before meeting my old high school buddies and managed to get one of them sick, it turned into a horrendous cold and I still have it, Although it is my birthday I have to clear the area around a couple of the windows so that my AC units can be inspected to plan for compliance with the new NYC law on securing them, My oven gave up on me last weekend and I can't call for service (which will cost mega $$) since no one can hear me with this cold, I had to clear out things in my office and get things off the floor so they can shampoo the carpet (did it in one day since I was out sick and taking today off for my birthday), my Mom's nurse misunderstood the supplies we needed so we got an abundance of something we rarely use and on the first round none of the item we really needed, the item we really needed arrived today but we still need another.

I have been so sick that I have not had the energy to touch any knitting. That and if I did I would need to wash everything well since I am sick. This cold is driving me crazy. I dry cough at night and spend my days with a runny nose and tons of tissues. At least this is not the flu - it is definitely a cold and sinus infection.. If the sinus infection does not clear up by Monday I will have to try to see my doctor.

So I am going to spend my birthday shuttling things to a small storage unit I have and rearranging things in my bedroom and living room. But it is definitely take out for dinner, No cooking for me tonight!

Wouldn't you know that I would get sick after finally getting a flu shot (my first) and that all sorts of other hassles would arrive while I was sick?

Friday, October 13, 2006

Friday the 13th, Oh My!

Okay, so I have not touched my Irish Hiking Cable Scarf in ages. I have not done any model kit building in ages as well. I am way behind on medically related appointments for me, my Mom and my cat. And of course, the laundry is never completely done. *sigh*

For better news, the two newer hats I made for a co-worker's newborn daughter (Olivia) do fit, my long time friend and co-worker's youngest son celebrates his third birthday today (Happy Birthday Timmy!), and the newborn hat I am knitting using Tahki cotton yarn on dpns for a new charity drive is looking okay.

Speaking of Charity drives - they are seemingly coming out of the woodwork and stressing me out. By that I mean that I want to participate in them but I am stretched in time, ability and finally financially. So I can't really participate in alot of them. I have to take a deep breath and besides picking and choosing, also prioritize that participation by whether I can meet the end of the drive deadlines and obtain and use the material type requirements.

I just picked up that Tahki cotton yarn which is really nice to use. That is for the Little Missionary's/St Vincent NICU Knit-a-thon - end date is 12/1/06
http://www.lmdn.org/knitathon.html

I am also trying to get at least one red scarf done for the Red Scarf Project for those orphans who have aged out of the system. Scarves due in for January.
http://www.orphan.org/red_scarf_project.html
Lily Chin has donated a nice pattern for the project which is a reversible mock cable. I am currently just doing a simple rib scarf using Lion Brand Homespun. Easier to handle on the subway commute and less likely for me to mess up completely.

I also want to particpate on the ongoing Snuggles Project which makes little blankets for animals in the shelters. Not all shelters accept these donations but the organization has a list of those who definitely participate and often shelters that accept donations of towels will accept these.
http://www.h4ha.org/snuggles/

So many projects! So little time!

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Time Flies

Can't believe it is October! That went fast...

Update on that drawing prize basket from AC Moore - nice basket but you might have been able to see that none of the yarn skeins had any labels. No idea what companies or what fibers or what lengths or what washing instructions... On a nicer note, the tote that you can see was actually one of the long ones on wheels. Not a regular tote bag.

Dental wise - the surgery is mostly healed. I am back to wearing the Invisalgn aligners to continue the orthodontic work I needed. I am not scheduled for another visit until January. (whew!) Just need an estimate of what work we need to do next year so I can adjust my health flex spending account.

Pink Scarf Project (Breast Cancer Drive) - Finally finished the second scarf. Not my best work but it will be warm and hopefully someone will appreciate it. I have to send off the two scarves this week.

There are so many projects that I would like to participate in either for charities or to cheer up someone going through hard times. One problem is having yarn on hand that meets any special requirements that these might have or being able to get it in time. *sigh* Yeah I know, deep breath. You can't work on everything.

I will just have to pick and choose which I can do within the time requirements

Unfortunately I doubt very much if I will have any knit items for anyone on my Xmas list. Just not enough time since I am SO SLOW.

Well I gotta get going since today is massive errand day and I hope to catch some sales on needed supplies, both for home and for knitting.

Happy October! Happy Halloween!

Monday, October 02, 2006

Unexpected

My Dental work is healing well and I am a lot less uncomfortable. I have a plan on how to pay off the cost of that work so that has reduced my stress.

On a happy note, a co-worker's wife had a baby girl (their second child and second girl) and I managed to get the pick hooded blanket that I had knit for them into the office when he was dropping by. Despite the best or worst efforts of the NYC transit system. I spoke to her the next day and she really like the blanket and the quickly made newborn hat I had stayed up to finish (and seamed badly). She is looking for come items in white or blue to coordinate with some of the baby's other outfits.

Not having any yarn to meet that criteria at home I decided to take a trip to AC Moore on Saturday if the weather looked okay, it has been rainy here. The weather cleared and off I went. THey were having a Yarn and Jewelry event at the store that I can get to. When I arrived it was like an obstacle course navigating around the customers and the demonstration tables scattered about the store. I managed to find the minimum yarn I was looking for and got distracted by some free patterns, "won't that be cute!". That meant picking up other yarn that might suit that pattern.

They announced the winner of the current drawing, and when that person did not seem to be there they picked another name. I usually miss those drawings since I often don't find the right table to fill out an entry form. The next drawing was in an hour and would be the last for the event. In my wanderings around the store I happened onto the entry table and dropped my name in.

While on the checkout line they did the last drawing and my name was called!
Some of the people were suggesting that I could put some of the yarn in my shopping cart back and save some money (yeah right - not the same yarns, unfortunately). A woman behind me kiddingly said she was going to tell them that she was me if I had not answered. Which she agreed wouldn't have worked since they ask for id. I told her that this was making up for the dental work fun I had been having. She was glad that something happened to help cheer me up.
acmooreprize
The challenge of course was how to get my purchases home AND the basket since I was taking two buses. Thankfully, I am an advanced packer and managed to squirrel away yarn in my purse and my backpack. Then the basket went into this large black totebag I have along with more purchased yarn. I deserved refreshment and went over to the Starbuck's in this little mall I was in. Cafe Mocha in hand I was sitting outside when it started to drizzle. *sigh*
I was lucky and caught the bus and the next bus before I got too soaking wet. Of course when I got to my neighborhood it started raining there.

oliviahats
After taking a nap I started working on a hat for baby Olivia. This was the same pattern I had done quickly the other night in pink yarn. This one started with blue and the remainder was in white. I did a much better job of seaming and matched the purl rows around the hat. In the picture it is on the right. Then I tried a different pattern in blue with two eyelet rows in the body and starting with ribbing. That is the hat in the picture on the left.

Hopefully these fit her or will.