Aquamarine is for March

Aquamarine is such a pretty stone. It so much reminds me of the ocean and because of that, my childhood. The browny sand and the blue, blue sea. I've often lived by the ocean. Seven and a half years in Hawaii. Four years in Japan. Even when we lived in Maryland for a year and a half we took time to go to the ocean--Rahobath Beach, the Chesapeake Bay. While visiting Gramma in Pennsylvania on vacations I remember going to the Boardwalk by the Jersey shores. Perhaps these socks reflect those colors a little.



These socks are certainly ubiquitious! They have been with me since my very first post back in 2006.

There's a reason for that. Even though they look like they would be fun to knit, I'm not so smart to figure things out.
I've had a real bear of a time with these socks. I put them down for awhile and lost my way. I forgot what to do next. Then when I finally figured it out I realized I lost a stitch somewhere back about 20 rows. Have you ever "tinked" for 20 rows? Takes about two hours and makes your already bad eyes go "badder" (Thanks Jailgy, for that liberty!) Whew! I'm glad that's over. Now I'm on my way again and will try to finish these socks shortly...but not for March.

Three Down, One to Go!

Yep, she passed. Heidi has her driver's licence. Now my days to chauffeur my girls to the barn are all but over. There may be times when I need to help out but they will be few and far between. It's already been a relief. Just this morning they were up, out and off to the barn with only a phone call to figure out which van to take. Next week should be easier since the plan is to import their already bought VW Rabbit.


There's a progressive program here for getting your driver's licence. First, as in every other place, you have to pass a written test. That allows you to display a huge "L" on the back of your vehicle. A lot of kids have a word they use to say what it stands for but the DMV says it stands for "Learner". And for the next little while, is it two years? you practice driving. Sounds like what most DMVs require. Next you take the road test and if you pass you get to display an "N" which stands for "Novice". (Most kids have another name for that too.) This is where Moms everywhere start to sweat. That's because your child now has the power to drive without you calling out directions from the front passenger seat. If you're a praying mom, you start to pray even more.


A Little fortification before the actual test.











One more try at parallel parking. Yes, I mean parallel parking. We do that in a parking lot here. The examiners don't even want you to attempt getting between two parked cars and on the test will have you parallel park behind one parked car.
The coveted "N" sign.



The police don't really care how you display the "N". They just want it displayed.

You have no idea how great this is for me. It seemed such a big hurdle for her to get over and now that's done, I feel such a relief.

LJ is next.

Wallaby Again

I didn't get a picture of the latest wallaby before I gave it away. But since you've seen others like it you probably can figure out what it looks like. If not just click on the wallaby link to the right to see others. I've said before that I really like this yarn. Plymoth's Encore is 75% acrylic and 25% wool; just enough wool to make it soft and plenty of acrylic to make it washable. Perfect for a baby sweater. Enjoy, Lisa.

Solo Day Trips

Going over the border just got easier. For me, at least. Yep, finally got that NEXUS card that helps you get over the border faster. Sometimes it's not that much faster but still minutes count when you're living in the fast lane! (Pardon the pun. It really was unintentional.) On Friday I went to Blaine by myself. No one else in the family but Bruce has the pass. Besides they were all working. Heh. One of the benefits of working from home and being your own boss (sort of).

LJ and Heidi wanted me to pick up some horse stuff they had mailed to Hagaan's mail outlet. After paying all the fees (phone calls, storage and collection) for the goods I wonder if it's even worth the trouble make the trip. It is, I've concluded. For one having the NEXUS does make it faster getting over the border. Plus I get an afternoon out by myself and when there is no pressure to get back it's very relaxing. And I get a mocha (Snickers this time) out of the deal. Not bad.

Since there was no pressure for me to get back any time soon I did a little exploring in Blaine to see what had changed since I had been there last. Such a warm sunny day-about 66 degrees F.

There's this little thing about declaring everything you are bringing back. I don't know but I suppose you get charged duty for everything you declare since it's all computerized and computers don't think to give you a break as a real live border official might when you declare things verbally. We'll see about that. It will be interesting to find out.

The line-up coming back to Canada confirmed the wisdom in getting the NEXUS. I forsee a difficulty in the future. What happens when everyone gets NEXUS and they still only have one lane?

Memory Lane

Remember Cessy's in downtown San Leandro? They had the most delicious (and most expensive) sandwiches. What a treat to take a lunch break and splurge...on a sandwich? Yep, they were worth it. Because I'm remembering 30 years ago my recollections may not be accurate. But I do try to replicate one of their sandwiches in my own kitchen. It's a variation on my personal all time favorite-tomato with mayonaise, salt and pepper. Cessy's had all kinds of add on's to their vegetarian. I remember them slicing the beautifully ripe (only in California!) avocado right on a slice of whole wheat bread. They would add cheese, maybe, and then top the whole thing with a wig of alfalfa sprouts.

Fresh spinach does it for me. Now I feel healthy.

"Purple Passion"

Amethyst for February

It might be a stretch to call the color of this yarn amethyst but it really does come close.

" Purple Passion" is not the name I gave this project. I should be so creative! When we were in So. Cal last December Chuggy, T and I went to Lazy Daisy. As I always do when I go into a yarn or book store, I grabbed all that appealed to me - books, yarn and pamphlets. Then when I had thoroughly scoped the store I sat and I went through all at my leisure and asked myself if I really need (read: want) this yarn or this book. After all that time enjoying myself in the store I sometimes only buy one skein or nothing at all. (Good thing the library has a book on "One Skein Wonders" I can justify buying one skein thinking that I can always make another pair of socks and they don't take long.) Well, T found a book that had a sweater she liked and I gladly helped her choose yarn to go with it. Plymoth's Encore in a rusty color. Well, the title of the sweater pattern she chose was "Purple Passion." Probably because the sweater had been made in purple yarn. As I drooled over her book she told me she wouldn't mind at all if I chose one of the patterns from her book to make. Not even if it was the one she was going to make. So here we are with February's amethyst project :

This is the waist in a rib knit that goes the whole way up. Cables start after about eight inches of the ribbing.

And because I like to have a pair of socks on the needles:

Tulips!

I've been sick...again. It feels like the same cold I had a month ago. It must be making the rounds again. To get back to health again I decided to take it easy. Doing nothing extra. No more than I have to.

Last night Gramma C came over and brought some cheer! Beautiful tulips! Spring has got to be around the corner. As soon as Bruce saw them he told me to put corn starch in the water. Huh? Yep. He said it makes them stand straight up. I tried it and it really works. The stems had started to droop just a little since I wasn't able to get them in water right away. But this morning I found them straight as soldiers on guard.

Ice cream helps too. Moral support only.

Happy Birthday, Dolly! or All Things "Pink"

On Saturday there was a "birthday bash" for Dolly. She received all manner of wondrous girly things. All of which she was totally thrilled. So as not to duplicate any offerings her great aunt gave her a set of blocks. So. There you have it. Nothing girly about blocks but something that the whole family can play with together. I think PC was more interested in them than Dolly. That's to be expected when the girly things were vying for her attention. All I know and remember about blocks is that ALL kids have a hoot of a time playing with them. I might know. We had blocks very similar to these in our house for years and every child visited us had to be torn away from them.


Finally, Emma's Wonderful Wallaby is finished. Even though this is more of a boy's colored sweater I think it suits her. Besides, ioi wanted rainbow colored sweaters for her kids. Now she's got a blue one to go with the red and yellow. Hmm. What's next? Green? Purple? or Orange? Thankfully, ioi's hubby said there was no rush!

These are the greatest baby sweater to make. There's always one on the needles at this house and always one or two in the back of my mind waiting for some free needles.

Note the elastics around Emma's ankles. They're handy for when her hair comes in. Right now she's pretty bald--but really cute anyway!

Garnets For January

I know. I barely made it. Today is the last day of January. And if it weren't for the fact that I have forced myself to post a birthstone colored project every month I wouldn't be here. But just for kicks here's the garnet baby sweater I've been working on since last summer. Just so you know (as if you couldn't tell!) my camera takes awful pictures of things red.
Good news! Emma's Wonderful Wallaby is finally finished. Pics later.

Have you ever noticed how cold your right hand gets when you've been working on the computer all day?

Our Unusual Winter Snow

We've had some snow. It's not been too bad this time, but I really like it when I don't have to go out. Today was not one of those days. Instead I hoped that the roads would be clear. And they were. But it was freezing cold! Since I like to park in the economy lot (that turned out to not be so "economy") I had to walk. It would have been better if I had been more prepared with a hat. At least I had my gloves and boots. All said and done and back to the warehouse with my NEXUS intact. Yes, we can finally go over the border without those incessant waits. That is if we have no commercial goods. Hmm.

I almost didn't make it for January's birthstone color project. But here is the progress on EZ's baby sweater from the top down. The color is not true. Just think of a very pretty cranberry red.

Of Nori, Chopsticks and Pickled Ginger

On Friday we had a delicious Japanese Dinner at the meeting room. RB was in town for a special meeting and we always like an excuse to get together! So Lily came up with this brilliant idea of a meal from Japan. Turned out great, as you can see.

Garnets

I repent. I now realize that garnet is January's birthstone, but can also be rose quartz! I thought it was aquamarine. Good thing I already have a baby sweater that I started last summer that is just this color. And I'm almost done! It's the same sweater pattern that I used before and it only took me two or three days to finish the sweater.

European Yarn, SS Verses, Wallabys and Scraps

My "girl" in Europe came home Sunday night, none, the worse for wear. Thankfully, no Italians nabbed her. Her horror stories were worse than the blog let on, though. Ask her what they really went through in Barcelona...really. I guess they didn't want us to worry.

Among many other things this is what I got from Italy! Yummy yarn, unfortunately, not one of my colors. Um, I wonder whose color it is anyway? I have one "autumn" daughter and this yarn looks like it's an autumn color. And she went to Europe. If not a hat, it will end up being a scarf--for the next trip to Europe?

I'd say they have interesting names for their yarn. It's probably not a name they would get away with in the States or Canada. At least with the younger set.

Finally! Emma's wonderful wallaby is just about done. The hood, the underarm seams and the loose ends are all that are left. I think she'll still fit it. Good thing I make the small size--they are much quicker to make. If you look at the underarm you'll see six stitches on each stitch holder. That and the hood are the only "seams" that are in this sweater. If you look at it when it's done you would be hard-pressed to even find a seam. That's because it's sewn up with the "kitchener stitch"--a technique well worth learning. It appears that the sweater is actually seamless. I highly recommend learning it.

We were over at G and D's last Saturday nite and as everyone knows this is the last chance to practice your Bible verse before you say it in Sunday School.

Good thing big sister went first!

Sometimes I think the kids saying their verses is to give us adults some much needed humor.

Everyone needs some mindless knitting. I mean really mindless knitting. Not something that has twists and turns, shaping, cables and even counting. Something you can do at stoplights while driving and even in the dark. And something that uses up all those skeins and parts of skeins that you've been collecting for 25 years.

Some of my yarn I bought but most of it has been given to me. And a lot of that is scrap--left over from some long forgotten project that some gramma discarded years ago. Some I picked up at the Thrift store. Who can resist a bag of yarn for 25 cents? Especially when you're a yarnaholic. The purple in the middle is the only yarn in the afghan so far that I remember buying... I think.

This afghan is so much fun! I really like to play with color and I love stripes. This afghan is the perfect project to use up all (read: some--I have enough scraps to make 10 afghans as well as oodles of sweaters!) of my scrap yarn. Sometimes I choose the color to go next; other times I just reach into the bag and chance it.

Gotta go knit, I mean, go eat lunch.