I AM NOT Whining!

I promised some fibery pics-so this is what you get. Above is the sleeve I am working on using handspun Jacob from a sweet sheep named Diablo. He's not a devil. He's a sweety.

These were the surprise socks that were planned for someone who has a birthday in two weeks. Never going to happen. Go to plan B. Maybe will have done for person who's birthday is in three weeks. STR rocks. It is heavier than I expected. Knits nice and tight and snug. Looks like Easter socks anyway.

These are just some yarn I had laying on back of chair. On the left is more of Jacob for sweater, and on right is some merino dyed with Kool-Aid. Color pretty accurate, even with my silly camera.

OKAY!

I know that my life's trials are not as serious as the world's trials right now. I get that. I am not whining, well, maybe a little bit, but seriously, is this floor every going to get finished? This is where we stand right now-company ordered new flooring to replace wonky, yucky, not-properly-milled flooring from last week.

New flooring arrived this week, came to my house to acclimate, appointment today to put in new floor. Within two or three rows installer said this flooring was the same as last week's flooring-wonky, not fitting properly, etc. etc. Really sad news.

Supervisor comes to house, takes pics, discusses everything with installer, and then they decide that just some boards are wonky, not all boards. So undo what needs to be undone, keep putting floor down, mark the bad boards on back, put in separate pile, and go as far as they can today. At end of day, regroup, count how much more is needed to finish the job, and wait one more week to get order in, etc. etc. etc. etc.

I get the undo-ing part. I do that in knitting. Just tink back to where it is right, and redo it right. What an analogy. I don't always have enough yarn for the job. I get that.

So now we have half a hallway to finish-some time next week. At least they put the baseboards back, and now I can move furniture and stuff back into the living room-which is actually my knitting/weaving room. I really should wait and caulk the baseboards, but you know what-my girlfriend is free tomorrow a.m. to help with big furniture, and that's when it will get moved. I can actually put the coats and stuff back into the hall closet.

I actually thought I might move some stuff tonight, but I am going to wait. I am really tired, even though I didn't do any of the physical work. I did go out in the yard today and do some yard work while they were on their lunch break.

This is more the true color of the floor. It is bamboo, so there is an interesting pattern going on.

This is too light. The sun was shining in the window and the flash went off. But you can see the various shading. I like the uneven coloring. Makes it more interesting.

This was taken early in the morning, and the light wasn't to that side of the house yet. You can see the color better here.

And one last reminder of flooring disaster 101. Kinda like when you unravel the part you have knitted and it gets into a big mess in your lap.

So Sunday we had our monthly sock club meeting. It appears that just about everyone has a disaster story to tell. Is it because of the shifting of the earth's axis, or are there solar flares, or what? I never have this much trouble with a full moon. We are on phase two of the Christmas stocking KAL, and it was so much fun to see how different everyone's sock was. It is amazing that it is the same pattern, yet they all look so different.

Well, I am going to slap on an Icy Hot Patch, and crawl into bed and read for a while.

I hate it to sound like I am whining. I know my life is not as bad as others right now. But I have feelings too. The poor people and all these earthquakes everywhere. We had one in Arkansas yesterday that was 3.7. Oklahoma had one last week that was a 4. something.

So next entry will be happier news. The weather is nice for a change. Warmish in the day, and especially nice for sitting in the sun knitting or reading. I ate lunch outside today. I know it is only early March, but it bodes well for Spring to come on. April can still be tricky too. It doesn't pay to get ants in your pants and start thinking it's time to plant. I did put some composted manure around the azaelas and my living Christmas tree. It is supposed to rain by Monday, and that will make them happy. I got my new t-shirts from Land's End today. I like to order three new t-shirts for summer, and then I can sort through the old ones and get rid of the raunchy ones.

Talk to ya later.

I Am So Not Happy!

FROM THIS:

TO THIS:

So the morning started out okay. The installers arrived, they prepped pretty quickly, they removed the baseboards, they were ready to go. They started opening cartons of boards, and one of the men started nailing with a specialized nail gun. This is bamboo. I stayed in my studio and worked in there for the most part.

I realized the gun was not making noise. One of the men came to the doorway and states they have a problem. It appears the nail gun had burst its seal. They would have to find another gun. I did mention this is a specialty gun, too, didn't I? After many phone calls, they locate one. Off they go.

Okay-fast forward to 12:30 pm or there abouts. They are eager to get caught up with the job. The nail gun is working nicely. I am spinning away, thinking that I hope they do a nice job instead of a fast job. Then I notice the nail gun is not making noise.

So after I finally get up enough nerve, I ask "What is the problem now?" It appears the flooring company did not mill the boards correctly. At some places there was a teensy gap that was noticeable. And they had to stop before going any further and a supervisor had to come out and look at the problem. In the meantime they dry fitted some of the boards and it was the boards, not the leveling of the first row.

So a long time later the supervisor arrives, takes several photos, talks to the guys, barely looks me in the eye as he apologizes, and assures me the mill will have to expedite the correct boards, and they will have to inspect the boards to make sure this is not going to happen again. So now I am looking at another 10 days of waiting while my house is all torn up.

But sadly, they have to tear up all the work they had already done. Including the barrier cloth was rerolled and put in the trailer. So I did ask what they were going to do with the torn up lumber, and they said they take it back to the store. They put it away until they work out what they will do with the mill people. Then probably it will be tossed in the dumpster. What a waste. I think they could be used by someone for other projects. The unused lumber goes back to the mill.

Anyway, enough of a rant. There is absolutely nothing I can do about it. So just move on. SIGH!

Life Goes On-Doesn't It?

O.K. I understand that creating chaos is good. I understand changes are good. But I am tired. I declared yesterday an official rest day. I did not do anything but rest. Oh-I did a load of laundry. I took out the trash last night for this mornings pick-up. But those are mundane every day chores that have to get done. Oh-yeah-I did the dishes last night. I only did a little knitting on my traveling sock. I could not think to do the lace on the sleeve of the sweater.

I did a crappy job of painting on the hallway. I will have to go back and fix that. Of course, I am realistic that the installers will pretty much make a big mess and I will have to do touch ups anyway.

I have to feel for the kitties. At first when I started moving the furniture out, Noodles freaked. He would walk into the living room and look around and look at me. I assured him we were not moving, and that this was only temporary. When I started painting, they stayed in the studio, which is pretty much as normal with the clutter and smells, etc. Night before last I left the doors open in the extra two rooms where everything is crammed in. When I went to look for Baby yesterday morning, she was nowhere to be found. Until I peeked in the extra bedroom and there she was on top of the pile of coats. Yesterday Noodles sat in my lap pretty much the whole time I was sitting in the one chair I have left in the living room.

So they will freak out tomorrow when the installers arrive, start making lots of noise, and they are strangers. I am sure they will hang out with me in the studio. I have a plan to watch a movie and spin. I want to finish the yarn I started ten days ago before the insanity started.

I have a few chores to do today, but I am ready to get this job finished. I am still getting seed catalogues, and that puts me in the mood. Only 24 more days until Spring arrives! I really do get outside and start cleaning the yard in late March. I am not going to go crazy this year. I only have one big flower bed I want to make. But I think I am more into the maintenance part of the yard this year. I want to plant some dye flowers, too. But otherwise, I am not going to put in vegetables like I did last year. That was pretty much a bust. The potatoes did the best of everything. Oh-the early Spring lettuces and spinach did well, too. Maybe I can do that much. I like my early greens.

So, I have to get moving to get the chores done. I have to get the recycling box out to the street. Have a good rest of the week. I am glad I did not commit to the Olympics this year. I got interrupted with this floor deal. Maybe that's my commitment instead of the knitting. Talk at ya later.

We Are On The Downhill Now!

Don't ever, ever get too glad that it is not doing something wintry outside. Because as sure as you think it, the world will plunge into an abysmal snow/ice mess. So..... quietly each day I thank God that the light is changing again. There is a feeling of "something" in the air that is promising. The bird songs are changing. There is just a different "feel" outside. Yes, it is still February, and yes, we still have two more months of uncertain weather. Yes, there is promise of maybe a sprinkling of snow tonight. But my hope is still there, with my faith that this will soon pass.

On the other side-where have I been. Right here in the house tearing everything up and making chaos. I have finally decided-it only took 18 months-to put down flooring in the living room and hallway. I finally took the plunge and a deep breath and called for a measurement and estimate of cost. I put in my head a budget, and when it came in under that budget, I ordered it. I am also saving about $250 by tearing up the carpeting myself and the tack strips. My friend CF says, "Well, as long as you have about a week to wait for the flooring to come in, why don't you paint?" That made sense.

So fast forward to my standing in the paint store with a silk pillow case that I am trying to match. I am terrible about choosing paint. I like the little chips, or sometimes the bigger chips, but on the big ole wall, it is not what I want. So I got one gallon, started on the foyer entry, and I liked the paint a lot. Of course, the sun was shining and it was very pretty. The next morning, all bleary-eyed, I did not like the paint at all. It was so dark. Then the sun shone on it and I liked it again. So I started on the living room. It seemed such a change once I started on the big walls. I finally had to tell myself that "This is it!" and just remember that there will be flooring, furniture, paintings, and it will not be just one big ole wall standing out there.

Well, I am now onto the hallway today. I took a day away yesterday. I went to the spinning guild's meeting. I won the door prize-a cute little cross-stitch picture of two sheep. It will look really cute in my studio room.

My house is a total wreck. I was thinking of Grey Gardens last night. My house is not dirty, or flea-ridden, or in total loss. It is just crammed with stuff that is not in the part of the house that is being remodeled. I retreated to my bedroom with the portable DVD player, and I sat in bed knitting and watched a movie. See where the Grey Gardens idea comes from.

I tried to get a picture of the paint in the hallway or living room. But the color does not come through with my little camera. Just take it from me it is pretty.

It is raining today, really cloudy and dark, but the birds are singing. So I guess I will join them and know that things will change soon enough. Somewhere in all the mess, I have my catalogues that assure me that I can have such a lovely garden this year. I will just progress one day at a time. My floor is in, and tomorrow I will call to schedule the installation. I have a friend that will come tomorrow with a pickup truck and a crow bar. The carpets will be gone tomorrow and I will be ready. We will make a run to the dump to get rid of all the reminders of allergy-laden carpeting, and all the other stuff in the yard that I want to get rid of too.

Have a good week. The next entry should be a little less home-wrecking. It should be full of fibery goodness. The Olympics are not over yet.

Happy St. Valentine's Day!

Knit your hearts with an unslipping knot." -Antony and Cleopatra, William Shakespeare

I know everyone is glued to the Olympics. I had a few tears at the opening ceremony. It was really pretty. The special effects were amazing. It really looked like whales rolling across the floor. And it was really sad when Georgia's team came in with such solemn faces and trying to look okay with everything. It was touching that they got a huge response from the crowd.

Apollo Ono is amazing-he's cute, he's more grown up than the last Olympics, and he is a better athlete.

The moguls were amazing. It just hurts my legs and hips to watch them.

So how's everyone's knitting? Isn't it just astounding how many people are knitting along with this event? How does one relate this to the muggles that just don't realize what a power the knitters' of the world have? I mean-The Yarn Harlot has over 2000 people world-wide signed up for hers, and I have no idea how many are signed up on Ravelry sites. I lost count of the teams.

I know when to stop knitting for a while. Friday night I dreamed I was doing some sort of puzzle thing-like a matching game. It was knitting related. I was stumped at one point, and suddenly this woman with a distinct French Canadian accent said, "Well, you can do a Brioche stitch here, and that will solve the puzzle." and then she performs the stitch. I told her I couldn't see how she did that, so she did it again. It went so quickly and it was complicated what she did. So yesterday, I did not knit one stitch, except for a few rows on the traveling sock while I was in my meeting.

It seems at this moment all my friends are having troubles with parents. I am surrounded by friends who call me to tell me about this, and it just seems everyone is having a problem at the same time.

I also had a dream the other night about some weaving that seemed to be a possibility to me. I have ideas floating around. I just haven't acted on the ideas yet.

So just a quick hello. Nothing too new going on. Have a good and happy day today.

It's Time For Olympics!

I am not a fan of the cold, cold weather. But I love to watch winter sports. I used to cross-country ski-the skis are out in the shed-but I could never accomplish what these athletes do. I found myself in a training session for master rowers in Boston one summer a long while ago. The coaches were Olympic rowers and trainers. So it was tough on me. I am a lazy person, and I do not do well with pushing myself hard to do something that is going to cause pain. I survived it, and I learned a lot about the sport and the people who are serious athletes.

The Olympic athletes I have met, and the master athletes in other sports, are SERIOUS! They train very hard, they work very hard, and they get used to a lot of pain. It is still sad to learn that already one person has died on the luge course today.

I will be there watching the opening ceremonies tonight. I thought the Beijing stuff was a little over the top, but what can one say about a country that is number one in most everything except people skills?

I thought about the different events for knitters starting tonight. I did not join in any group. The Yarn Harlot has gathered a mighty group, as has Ravelry. I decided that it was best for me just to continue chugging along with my projects as I watch the events.

I have swatched for a sweater that I want to make with my Jacob handspun fleece. I have gauge, and I did a cable to see how it looked with the yarn. I have not made a sweater in years that requires it to be sewn together in the end. It will be more fitted, and I am trying to deal with that issue as it occurs.

The other night I decided to cast on one of the sleeves to see how it would go. I like to start with sleeves. They are smaller, and more manageable. I did a provisional cast on with a crochet chain. It is the way I learned years ago, and I am changing the pattern to knit the hem in with the live stitch. I like that finish better than a sewn hem. After the picot edge, I tried to see the yarn live stitch, and it was so hard to find and pick up. So I ripped out everything and decided to start over.

Today Knitting Daily has a tutorial with Eunny Jang showing different provisional cast on stitches. So I am trying the one where you use the cable on a circular needle. It was a little futzy at first, and it was difficult to do the first row. Hopefully it will be easier to add the live stitch when I get to that point of the hem.

Tomorrow is our weaving guild meeting. CJE is coming to my house and we will go together. She is a little frazzled, and needs some down time. She needs to be with her "people" that talk the same language.

Last night I had a dream about weaving stuff. I am now more motivated to finish up what I have on the loom. I have a purpose for it now. I like it when I get an idea and it stays in my head and it just percolates and pops and jumps around.

So have a safe weekend. We missed the latest snow mess. It stayed south and dumped on the Ouachita Mountains instead of us. Whew! Hopefully that is it for a good while. One weatherman reported the other night that El Nino patterns can stay around a few years. I don't think I can take this kind of winter every year for a while. I had to explain to my brother about what global warming has done to the weather patterns. And why we are getting such wild fluctuations due to global ocean changes and air flows.

So on with the Games! If you are on a knitting Olympic team-good luck! I hope you win a medal. I am going to just compete with myself. May the Games begin!

Happy Birthday!

Today is my older brother's birthday. He is so happy to finally be 65 and is getting Medicare now. It was a struggle keeping his job and maintaining a positive attitude when the world is getting crazy. But he held on, and now he can finally make plans for retirement.

So Happy Birthday. I know I sent you an email, but this is a nice surprise too, huh?