It’s been a good start to a new year. I…
~ Started the blog.
~ Posted every day.
~ Completed my 1st spinning class.
~ Practiced diligently and well, including going to knit nights at the lys.
~ Signed up for my next spinning class.
~ Worked through Chap 3 in Photoshop Elements book.
~ Gained knowledge in blogging and spinning by joining different Ravelry groups.
~ Ordered the Forest Canopy shawl pattern.
~ Started a book study on the steps.
~ Bought paint for the kitchen.
Not too shabby, at all.
This next month will be shortened more than usual because of my trip to Philly.
The upside will be lots of plane time for knitting.
My goals include the following:
* Gain in competence with spinning, and continue with the knit nights.
* Continue learning with Photoshop Elements. (This is one slow effort. So much to learn for me, including being patient with myself for...not knowing it all yet.)
* Update pix on blog. (I am stunned at what I have learned so far.)
* Start the shawl.
* Finish yellow cotton yarn in dishcloths. (I started one last night. The world didn’t end. And Dearest Sister wants me to teach her the how-to while in Philly. Fun!)
* Read chap 2 in step book.
* Paint the kitchen.
* Finish the scarf.
* And finish Mists of Avalon. This book might move to the bedside table. It is a good book but a slow read, probably because of everything else I am doing. I want to start Drunk/Divorced.
That’ll do for now!
January 31, 2008
January 30, 2008
On the Needles of Iron (and other things…)
We got the scarf still, but it’s progressing. I think it’s about 1/3 done. I am choosing to continue the repeats without the ribbing, because I like the pattern. (No new photo because I forgot about it. Poor scarf!)
I am casting on a dishcloth tonight because if I don’t the world will end.
And my next biggie project is going to be…(drum roll, please)….a Forest Canopy shawl (cymbal crash!) by Susan Lawrence, out of the Crystal Palace Crème, Vine Green that I bought on sale earlier this month. Yea! I’m excited.
Spinning last night went swimmingly. I was able to spin the remainder of the alpaca effortlessly, for the most part. Perhaps the fiber was easier to work with, or maybe I am getting the feel of it. I will ply the merino and alpaca together on Friday, and I think it will look really fun, and be knittable. I will work this red and gold wool/silk blend with Navajo plying, and maybe knit a little ‘Calorimetry’ with it. And the ‘Olive’ roving spins up like this. All this after only one short month, and several hours of practice!
Last night, while spinning, the wheel was making a funny noise, sort of a wobble sound. One of the knitting ladies suggested some oil, and showed me how to do so. That didn’t solve the problem, and in fact, the noise worsened. We determined the wheel was loose and wobbly, and she asked those in charge of the lys for tools, which she used to tighten the wheel. That fixed the noise, and cause
d the wheel to move much smoother. I was grateful, and made the effort when I was leaving to ask her name. I introduced myself to her, and I thanked her for her help. Doesn’t sound like much, but that is a stretch for me. Anyway, I know one of the knitter’s names now. And another of them commented on my hand knit scarf, of which I am very proud. Who knows…maybe with time…
I am casting on a dishcloth tonight because if I don’t the world will end.
And my next biggie project is going to be…(drum roll, please)….a Forest Canopy shawl (cymbal crash!) by Susan Lawrence, out of the Crystal Palace Crème, Vine Green that I bought on sale earlier this month. Yea! I’m excited.
Spinning last night went swimmingly. I was able to spin the remainder of the alpaca effortlessly, for the most part. Perhaps the fiber was easier to work with, or maybe I am getting the feel of it. I will ply the merino and alpaca together on Friday, and I think it will look really fun, and be knittable. I will work this red and gold wool/silk blend with Navajo plying, and maybe knit a little ‘Calorimetry’ with it. And the ‘Olive’ roving spins up like this. All this after only one short month, and several hours of practice!
Last night, while spinning, the wheel was making a funny noise, sort of a wobble sound. One of the knitting ladies suggested some oil, and showed me how to do so. That didn’t solve the problem, and in fact, the noise worsened. We determined the wheel was loose and wobbly, and she asked those in charge of the lys for tools, which she used to tighten the wheel. That fixed the noise, and cause
d the wheel to move much smoother. I was grateful, and made the effort when I was leaving to ask her name. I introduced myself to her, and I thanked her for her help. Doesn’t sound like much, but that is a stretch for me. Anyway, I know one of the knitter’s names now. And another of them commented on my hand knit scarf, of which I am very proud. Who knows…maybe with time…
January 29, 2008
Lessons on Life from Star Trek
During the marriage melt-down and the subsequent Dee-vorce, I was emotionally overwrought. I could not listen to music about relationships, or see movies about relationships, or watch TV shows about relationships, or read books about relationships.
I had known the X since my freshman year in college, and we had been married for over 25 years. We had made it through the ‘rough times’ (I thought), and the living was supposed to get easier at this point. Apparently this ‘living happily ever after’ stuff was a bunch of crap-ola, though, and I didn’t want to hear, or see, or watch, or read about a bunch of ninnies thinking they had life and love all figured out! Because if I didn’t, I was sure they didn’t either!!
Due to a series of circumstances (all of it fascinating! but for another post), the X lived with me at the house from the time he told me he thought “we should go our separate ways”, until he found another position out of state to take, almost 11 months. We did not share the same space, however. My bedroom became my sanctuary, to which I retreated nightly, especially in those early months. I read many self-helpy type books, spiritual journey type books, and did my divorce recovery homework. I journaled like a crazy woman, from which I maybe was only a few steps away. But then, exhausted, I would want to watch some TV.
What to watch that would not bring out all my cynicism and jadedness?
STAR TREK!!!! I have always enjoyed Star Trek, and here was a show almost practically relationship free. I remember on Wednesday nights, in particular, I could see re-runs at 7, 9, 10, and 11, of Next Generation twice, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine. Ahh….the ecstasy of pure escapism!
There was one episode in particular I remember. It addressed the issue about going back in our lives and changing things, doing things differently, making things better. At this point in my life, I was wishing there were a few things I could have some re-dos on. (like accepting that engagement ring…)
So anyway, we find out that Captain Picard has an artificial heart stemming from a fight he had as a young, impulsive, brash ensign. This artificial heart fails, and Picard, slipping into a void, admits, that given the opportunity, he would do things differently, meaning he would try to avoid the circumstances that led to the fight the led to the necessity of the artificial heart, which was failing and leading to his untimely demise. He is given that chance, and as the story goes, changing those circumstances changes friends and opportunities and outlooks and then he isn’t the captain that saves the galaxy on numerous occasions, but a lowly astrophysics officer that ‘doesn’t stand out’…and well, he understands why he is the man he is…uh…today, or then, or in the future. Agh!….I am so confused with these space time continuums!
So back to me. Setting aside the years my daughters were concieved, for I would go through at least those years again in a heartbeat to have my children, I have truly struggled with the time spent in that relationship, and my unhealthy behavior and reactions. Why did I do what I did, put up with what I put up with, and for so long? How did I miss the boat so completely? How could I have been so clueless?
There may be answers to those questions that will help me avoid repeating the same issues in the future and that is very good. But if I am going to use them as weapons against myself for not having done the past perfectly, then I say they do not matter.
Who I am today is because of what I have lived through. If ‘I regret the past and wish to shut the door on it’, I lose some of the best of me. Surely there were some not so good times with the X, and there were some times I am not proud to share, but those times serve a particular purpose in making me who I am today, and who I will be tomorrow. I am sure that part of the reason that Wonderful Guy and I have such a terrific relationship is directly attributable to some of the touch lessons of this previous one.
I am still working on this truth. There is still some figuring out to do here, but I am making real progress.
I had known the X since my freshman year in college, and we had been married for over 25 years. We had made it through the ‘rough times’ (I thought), and the living was supposed to get easier at this point. Apparently this ‘living happily ever after’ stuff was a bunch of crap-ola, though, and I didn’t want to hear, or see, or watch, or read about a bunch of ninnies thinking they had life and love all figured out! Because if I didn’t, I was sure they didn’t either!!
Due to a series of circumstances (all of it fascinating! but for another post), the X lived with me at the house from the time he told me he thought “we should go our separate ways”, until he found another position out of state to take, almost 11 months. We did not share the same space, however. My bedroom became my sanctuary, to which I retreated nightly, especially in those early months. I read many self-helpy type books, spiritual journey type books, and did my divorce recovery homework. I journaled like a crazy woman, from which I maybe was only a few steps away. But then, exhausted, I would want to watch some TV.
What to watch that would not bring out all my cynicism and jadedness?
STAR TREK!!!! I have always enjoyed Star Trek, and here was a show almost practically relationship free. I remember on Wednesday nights, in particular, I could see re-runs at 7, 9, 10, and 11, of Next Generation twice, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine. Ahh….the ecstasy of pure escapism!
There was one episode in particular I remember. It addressed the issue about going back in our lives and changing things, doing things differently, making things better. At this point in my life, I was wishing there were a few things I could have some re-dos on. (like accepting that engagement ring…)
So anyway, we find out that Captain Picard has an artificial heart stemming from a fight he had as a young, impulsive, brash ensign. This artificial heart fails, and Picard, slipping into a void, admits, that given the opportunity, he would do things differently, meaning he would try to avoid the circumstances that led to the fight the led to the necessity of the artificial heart, which was failing and leading to his untimely demise. He is given that chance, and as the story goes, changing those circumstances changes friends and opportunities and outlooks and then he isn’t the captain that saves the galaxy on numerous occasions, but a lowly astrophysics officer that ‘doesn’t stand out’…and well, he understands why he is the man he is…uh…today, or then, or in the future. Agh!….I am so confused with these space time continuums!
So back to me. Setting aside the years my daughters were concieved, for I would go through at least those years again in a heartbeat to have my children, I have truly struggled with the time spent in that relationship, and my unhealthy behavior and reactions. Why did I do what I did, put up with what I put up with, and for so long? How did I miss the boat so completely? How could I have been so clueless?
There may be answers to those questions that will help me avoid repeating the same issues in the future and that is very good. But if I am going to use them as weapons against myself for not having done the past perfectly, then I say they do not matter.
Who I am today is because of what I have lived through. If ‘I regret the past and wish to shut the door on it’, I lose some of the best of me. Surely there were some not so good times with the X, and there were some times I am not proud to share, but those times serve a particular purpose in making me who I am today, and who I will be tomorrow. I am sure that part of the reason that Wonderful Guy and I have such a terrific relationship is directly attributable to some of the touch lessons of this previous one.
I am still working on this truth. There is still some figuring out to do here, but I am making real progress.
January 28, 2008
Weekend Accomplishments
Sunday, we bought paint for the kitchen. Cabin Red. I hope it works as well as the colors I picked for the front room and office. Interior décor/picking out colors, etc. is not something I have a lot of confidence in my ability. The home improvement proje
ct Wonderful Guy and I carried out on the office/front room last fall turned out very nice. There is, I fear, a danger of being lulled into a false sense of…ability. We shall see how the Cabin Red kitchen works. Dearest Sister says if it doesn’t work, one can always repaint. I suppose that is true, but I prefer it to just work for me the first time!
Friday, after work, Young Co-Worker and I ventured into the countryside and found a fiber processing barn, way out in the yonder. We each made a purchase of lovely hand dyed wool roving. Looky at what I bought!
I also spent lots of time spinning in the evenings, in front of the fire, with the spindle. (The days were warm
and lovely, but when the sun went down, so did the temperatures.) This is single ply. I have some more white merino on the wheel at the lys that I believe I will combine with this little yarn cake. Then, I am thinking about plying the white merino with this brown alpaca. Looking forward to spinning practice tomorrow night.
Sugar ‘n Cream cotton yarn was on sale. Bought five skeins of the variegated. Wonderful Guy, bless his heart, doesn’t understand that, I don’t think. Just one of those things I learned from Momma. When it's on sale, I gotta' buy it. I thought I did well only buying five.
At a bookstore outlet, I found Thirteen Moons, by Charles Frazier for $6, and a couple of journals for cheapy cheapy. Can’t ever have too many journals, I say. No knitting books to note, or to buy.
While I was at the bookstore outlet, Wonderful Guy was at the kitchen outlet. He’s been shopping for pressure cookers lately. I have a gi-nourmous one I used back in the day for canning. Still have it, even if I haven’t canned in 2 plus decades. (Hey! I might again eventually….
someday….) He found one there he liked for a price he liked. I am thinking sometime this week I might be treated to something pressure-cooked!
It was great to get out this weekend. We walked the dog, and I wore only a hoodie over my turtleneck. Very nice to run around in a sweatshirt instead of bundled up in gloves, hat, scarf, and buttoned-up-to-the-neck-coat. It’s still January, and cooler weather with snow possibly, is on it’s way, but the break was nice.
ct Wonderful Guy and I carried out on the office/front room last fall turned out very nice. There is, I fear, a danger of being lulled into a false sense of…ability. We shall see how the Cabin Red kitchen works. Dearest Sister says if it doesn’t work, one can always repaint. I suppose that is true, but I prefer it to just work for me the first time!Friday, after work, Young Co-Worker and I ventured into the countryside and found a fiber processing barn, way out in the yonder. We each made a purchase of lovely hand dyed wool roving. Looky at what I bought!
I also spent lots of time spinning in the evenings, in front of the fire, with the spindle. (The days were warm
and lovely, but when the sun went down, so did the temperatures.) This is single ply. I have some more white merino on the wheel at the lys that I believe I will combine with this little yarn cake. Then, I am thinking about plying the white merino with this brown alpaca. Looking forward to spinning practice tomorrow night.Sugar ‘n Cream cotton yarn was on sale. Bought five skeins of the variegated. Wonderful Guy, bless his heart, doesn’t understand that, I don’t think. Just one of those things I learned from Momma. When it's on sale, I gotta' buy it. I thought I did well only buying five.
At a bookstore outlet, I found Thirteen Moons, by Charles Frazier for $6, and a couple of journals for cheapy cheapy. Can’t ever have too many journals, I say. No knitting books to note, or to buy.
While I was at the bookstore outlet, Wonderful Guy was at the kitchen outlet. He’s been shopping for pressure cookers lately. I have a gi-nourmous one I used back in the day for canning. Still have it, even if I haven’t canned in 2 plus decades. (Hey! I might again eventually….
someday….) He found one there he liked for a price he liked. I am thinking sometime this week I might be treated to something pressure-cooked!It was great to get out this weekend. We walked the dog, and I wore only a hoodie over my turtleneck. Very nice to run around in a sweatshirt instead of bundled up in gloves, hat, scarf, and buttoned-up-to-the-neck-coat. It’s still January, and cooler weather with snow possibly, is on it’s way, but the break was nice.
January 27, 2008
I hardly ever win...
...anything, or so it seems. Probably like that for most people. Look what arrived yesterday in the mail! My winnings from Crazy Aunt Purl's Sweepstakes for the daily drawing....
(Notice the Cat Who Would Be Queen, basking in the sunshine.) My only regret is that it is a bag of flavored Cheetos. Alas, I am a purist, but on the upside, I didn't scarf them down in one sitting last night.
The forecast for the weekend said warm, but windy. It has been wonderfully sunny and not breezy at all. Yesterday, Wonderful Guy got out on the Bandit. We took the Best Dog Ever for a walk after. It's suppose to get warmer today, and we are so getting out to do something. Anything!
So I am outa here!
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