Faking the Isle

How's this for fake isle! Trendsetters "Tonalita" and Lana Borgosesia "Otto".

by whose clock?

At about 9:15 this morning a moving van pulled up in front of my house. "Ah!" I though. "The female half of my new neighbors is finally moving in."

When I realized the moving van was not going to well, move to upblock my driveway, I went out and spoke to a moving guy. Moving Guy said "we'll be done in hour and a half".

"That's fine" I thought. "I can wait a while before leaving the house to fill the car with gas, stop at the library to see if the new Oprah book is on the shelf, see if Target has those block things that can be used for blocking and go to the grocery store."

At 1:30, I knocked on my new neighbors door, said "Welcome!" and asked that the van please be pulled up about 3 feet into the appx 30 feet of open curb where no driveway or car will be blocked, so that I could be off on my day's excursion.

Reluctantly it was moved. And on my way was I.

When I returned about 1 hour later (I skipped Target), the moving van had been moved once again to block my driveway. Sigh.

So I parked my car across the street, carted my groceries and library book and DVD's across the street while stopping to talk to neighbors walking their dogs or out for a stroll on this nice Saturday afternoon.

On my last trip, I asked the Moving Guy to please knock on my door to let me know when they're ready to leave so I can move my car to my gargae he called me a bitch.

Here's a picture of the moving van. I don't think I'll use this company on my next move.

following a simple chart OR socializing....

....I can't do both at the same time it seems.

I'm showing a lovely group of ladies some stranded knitting techniques. We're using the "Fake Isle" hat from MagKnits. I've knit the hat once. Not difficult at all. Simple in fact. Why is it that I've knit the 6 rows of the second hat 5 times already?

It all began on Wednesday night at Ewe Knit Kits. It's social knitting night and after I had finished labeling all the new yarn from Dark Horse, helped the customers, I sat down with the group to knit and chat. 3 times I knit row4 of the chart and then gave up. I blamed the Hillary vs. Barack discussion. So put it away until another night.

Thursday night was my "But there's not a class" group. (Defined as: I want to knit a project with a group but there isn't a class offered. The projects include: tote bag, Flamingo, baby sweater, shawl/sweater/sock/baby sweater, felted tote and a scarf.) I can usually get a few rows of something done. Nope! Not only didn't I get the row knit, I dropped a stitch and there went the row below it!

So you would think I'd give up...oh no!...this morning at Barnes & Nobles I fixed row 3. I thought, markers for the repeats and I can enjoy the conversation....hahahahaha...I knit row 6 THREE times...around and around and around. I ignored ALL the markers! Fake Isle 2 and all of my markers have been banished to the Guilds tote bag until later tonight.

But I am contemplating two lace KAL's. Civil War Shawl and Sheep Shawl. Have the yarn, patterns and needles for either one. But then I want to knit another Pi. So much to knit so little time.

So Kiki...Bess suggests an Elizabeth Zimmerman pattern. What do you think?

This will make you smile!

Here's Kiki with her shawl.

Using a drop spindle, she spun the roving into lace weight wool. Then added a few pattern repeats of my "Mary" to knit this beautiful shawl.



and another....

Kiki was my partner in yarn/fiber shopping this past year. We hit Maryland Sheep & Wool, the Fall Fiber Festival in Montpelier and Stitches East. She's now looking for her first easy Fair Isle sweater pattern. Anyone have a suggestion?

Two Sock Update

"Ms J" finished her heel directions for the Two Toe Up Socks on Magic Loop and I tested for her last night. Pattern worked out great! See.....

I didn't knit the foot long enough though. It's a bit snug. So I'll rip it out later today, add a few rows and reknit the heel. But boy was it EASY!

I'm RICH!!!!!!!!

So I open my email this morning and look at the news I received:

From: Peter Wallace, Esq. (For Trustees)
Managing Partner (Herbert & Wallace)
London - United Kingdom.

Notification of Bequest

On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Engr. Gerhard
Wilhelm, I once again try to notify you as my earlier letter was returned
undelivered. I hereby attempt to reach you again by this same email address
on the WILL. I wish to notify you that late Engr. Gerhard Wilhelm made you a
beneficiary to his WILL. He left the sum of Five Million One Hundred
Thousand Dollars (USD$5,100.000.00) to you in the codicil and last testament
to his WILL.

This may sound strange and unbelievable to you, but it is real and true.
Being a widely traveled man, he must have been in contact with you in the
past or simply you were referred to him by one of his numerous friends
abroad who wished you good. Engr. Gerhard Wilhelm until his death was a
former managing director and pioneer staff of a giant construction company.
He was a very generous individual who loved to give out. His great
philanthropy earned him numerous awards during his lifetime. Engr. Gerhard
Wilhelm died on the 9th day of September 2006 at the age of 92 years, and
his WILL is now ready for execution. According to him this money is to help
the poor and the needy.

Please if I reach you, as I am hopeful, endeavor to get back to me as soon
as possible to enable me conclude my job.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Yours sincerely,
Peter Wallace, Esq.

Now I don't remember meeting Gerhard, but that's not to say we never crossed paths. And I was a bit confused because he considered me "poor and needy", but what the hay, for all that dough I'll be poor, needy and even destitute.

But alas...I was checking the Guild's emails, not mine....sigh...I guess I'm not rich at all....but good news for the Guild!! I'll contact the members and let them know right away....

Least you worry, dear readers, the email has been marked as spam and deleted, but it was fun to imagine all that money!

Socks that were rocking

The tempature was 75F, the house was clean enough, I could stand looking at the leaves in the back yard...it is January you know...so this is what I did on Saturday...

I sat on my patio, in my rocking chair.....

and these toes from Friday night .... (ignore the black blob on my lap, it's Bailey taking his nap before bedtime)

became these feet waiting for their heels....

And now dear kind, gentle, reader, I ask you to please sit before reading further....

you can use the other chair on the patio if you'd like...
(ignore the black blob digging through the leaves...it's Bailey looking for lizards)

I just called over to Ewe Knit Kits and asked Bobbie to please hold the Pink Trekking XXL yarn for me. I will pick it up on Tuesday. And just 1 skein please, not 2 or even 3, just 1, because it will be used for s o c k s, not a shawl or a scarf or other knitted item, but SOCKS!

And while I'm waiting to hear from dear "Ms. J" for the "heel" directions, (I'm testing her class handouts) I'm going to start another pair with the Fortissima Socka Color 1776 the one that gives you the idea of stars and stripes.

Other knitting did happen last night. I worked on the ribbing for a helmet liner. I've been knitting them about a year now for a friends son and his Army buddies over in Afghanastian.

On the tv was the first 2 discs from the BBC series The House of Eliott. I watched it when PBS first aired in the mid 90's (?). It's better than I remembered.

And tonight it's "Dr. Zhavago" with Omar Sharif.

And least you think all I do is sit and knit and watch tv...Bailey and I are off on our second walk around the block today. We usually get in 3 or 4. Adds up when the block is 1/2 mile around.