Peggy's prayer shawl

I went to the closet yesterday during naptime and pulled out the blue varigated.  I started a shawl from Debbie Macomber's Friendship Shawls book.  (Mental note - try using patterns from the umpteen other knitting books you have!!)  I just wasn't "feelin' it", as the kids say. 

I liked the yarn and I even liked the pattern.  Although, maybe I won't end up using them together.  Have you ever looked at something and said "I like that [insert gift here], but it just isn't her"?  That's how I felt once I got about 3 inches done.  It just wasn't Peggy.  The pattern looked like Peggy in the picture, but with that yarn... it just didn't make the grade for me. 

So... Gabriel was still asleep and Jerry was asleep on the couch.  Good time to ask if I can go buy more yarn, right?  Yep!  Jerry half acknowledged that I was leaving, but probably didn't understand what I was doing... and off I went! 

I spent almost 2 hours in Michaels!  A.  This hasn't happened since about my 8th month of pregnancy when I stopped being able to stand for long periods of time and now the Boy pulls things off the shelves/fusses/otherwise disrupts the process.  B. Technically, I said I wasn't buying more yarn until all of the extra yarn is gone. 

Special people get special yarn purchases.  Peggy is a special person.  And I want her to have a shawl that she will LOVE, not just love because I made it for her.  You know how Moms, big Sisters and other people do that.  They love it because you made it and not because they actually like it?  Ya... I don't want that for Peggy.  I want her to love the shawl.  So Peggy gets new yarn.  I bought inexpensive acrylic yarn for 2 reasons...

1.  I am broke?
2.  Peggy has always yelled at me when I spend money on their family and I therefore need to be able to justify the gift.  Yes, I have to be able to prove to my beloved sister-in-law that I can afford to give her, Jeff or the kids a gift.  She is always concerned for me.  Another reason she deserves special treatment.  :) 

I picked a new pattern before I left that I thought looked like Peggy again.  It required bulky weight yarn.  They only had an olive-ish looking darker green in the bulky weight and it was $6.50 a skein?  Ummm... no. 

I have to say here how much I miss living in a large city with mutiple yarn buying opportunities.  It takes over an hour to drive to a good yarn store from this base and Michaels' selection just doesn't cut the mustard with me.  I think there might be a good yarn store in Kingston, but I don't have a border pass yet, so no trips to Canada for me!  :( 

Anywho... luckily Michaels carries the Debbie Macomber book I am working from, so I grabbed it and picked ANOTHER NEW PATTERN.  I found that I could buy the yarn for said pattern for under $25 and it would include at least 1 of Peggy's favorite colors. 

Oh ya... I had to text Peggy at some point from the store and ask what her 2nd favorite color is.  Burgundy.  Very pretty.  I could have used both colors in this shawl, but I was afraid that it would look to dark.  So I grabbed the Hunter green and a light tan.  The shawl looked to me like the main color (hunter green) needed to be contrasted with a lighter color.  I was afraid that the burgundy... while beautiful... would just make it look.... off.  Know what I mean? 

I came home and Jerry said "I thought you weren't buying more yarn until all of this was gone?"  I said "This is for Peggy."  He said "O.k." and hugged me.  I love my husband.  He always understands when something is important enough to me not to argue about it.  ;)

I finished it!

Owen's blanket is done... sorry, Mom... finished.  ("Turkeys are done.  People are finished."  I don't really get the difference either.  I looked it up and both words have pretty much the same definition.  Whatever, she corrected me enough as a kid that it bugs me now and I don't know why!)

Moving on.... I texted Katie last night and gave her permission to go into labor.  She appreciated the gesture.  He, he!  Owen's in position and she's at 36ish weeks, so any day now!  Seriously, she's due March 3rd, but I think she said she went a little early with Aiden and she is READY!  (Aiden is Gabriel's best friend.) 

Today, my knitting plan is to weave in the ends of Owen's blanket and get in the closet and pull out the yarn for Peggy's shawl.  I think I'm going to use a varigated blue.  We'll see.  This is a special project so we may have to buy yarn.  I just sent her a text and asked what her favorite color is, so we'll see what she says.  Special people get special consideration when I'm picking a yarn.  ;) 

Peggy's favorite color is Hunter Green.  Hmmm....

I'm going to teach a friend!

A couple of days ago, a friend on Facebook put that she'd like to make a baby blanket for her baby.  (She's due in July, I believe.)  However, she doesn't know how to knit!  So I said I'd help. 

Now, I've only ever really tried to teach Becca when she was around 8.  Becca didn't get it, but she was young and learned later when she was at Girl Scouts.  I'm thinking Ali will be able to get this.  If I have trouble, I'll get Bethany to help at the PWOC knitting group.  (Mental note - email Bethany about knitting group.)

My plan is to teach her to make a potholder first.  That way she learns the stitches before we waste a bunch of yarn!  So we'll see how it goes!  The blanket I'm going to show her is only a knit and purl block pattern from a Debbie Macomber book.  Easy... only the 2 basic stitches, but it looks beautiful when finished!  We'll see what she wants to take on, though!  :) 

Owen's Blanket

This is Owen's blanket.  I measured it right after I took the picture and I am at 24 inches.  Well, I was and then I worked on it some more.  Katie has seen it, so this won't spoil anything.  I really like this color and the pattern is really easy!

Here is the pattern.  It is small cables and a shell type pattern in between.  Simple, but nice.  I think this picture is going to go on the sidebar under "current project." 

I went ahead worked on Owen's blanket yesterday because I believe myself to be over the plague and on enough medication to be safe again.  I'm just trying to get rid of the remaining stuffiness and headache!  I generally feel o.k. until I try to do too much.  Then I realize that my body hasn't caught up with the rest of me. 

I have another project after this one that might supersede all other knitting for a while.  My favorite person in the whole wide world has cancer again.  Most of you know Peggy and know that this is her 2nd round with breast cancer.  So I think a prayer shawl is in order.  I should have done it last time, but the yarn and needles were all in storage because of the moving.  This time, however, I will start on one as soon as this blanket is finished.

No knitting while I'm germy...

So I'm still sick.  Apparently the crap-ton of sinus medication I take is absolutely pointless.  I am the sickest person here!  How is that fair?!  Seriously....

There is no knitting.  I just don't want to get germs on the blanket.  I thought I was getting better yesterday and knitted, but now I feel bad.  I'll just warn Katie to wash it first.   No knitting today.  Probably not tomorrow either.  :(

At least I feel like its a good excuse, though!

And now we have a cold too? Nice....

O.k. so here's the count... I didn't knit Monday.  I tried to knit for a little while yesterday and I just barely got 30 minutes in, but that's all.  I'm not going to knit today.  I'm sick and I hate the idea of getting germs on Owen's blanket.  (I realize that he's not coming for a few more weeks and it will get washed before he uses it, but still.....)

I have another project to add to the list.  Smith (the only girl in Jerry's unit) is pregnant and so I will be making her something.  Jerry THINKS she is having a boy and is due in April, so I will use the light blue and try making him a sweater.  Jerry is not always so good with the details, so I am using a really light blue just in case. 

I measured Owen's blanket this weekend and I was at 18 inches or so.  That almost half way done with the body of it, so I'm doing pretty good.  I should be able to get it done in a couple of weeks and move on to Jerry's hat.  That will take me maybe 1 night of watching a movie and then I'll go to Smith's baby sweater.  I think that sounds like a plan.  Flores' wife isn't due until this summer, so I'm good there. :) 

Prozac update:  I have an appointment with my doctor Feb. 8th.  That was the first I could get in.  So I'll just try not to kill anyone between now and then!  Shouldn't be too hard.  Jerry is on guard and Gabriel has that "I'm cute" defense.  Everyone else can just be warned and choose to come over here or not.  LOL  I've found, though, that since I'm not working my depression isn't as bad.  I have PMDD, so my hormones take my stress and blow it out of proportion for a week or so a month and since I don't have that stress... well, its not as bad. 

No stress from the attorneys and no stress of losing our income and home (the Army doesn't fire you AND they provide our home and utilities, so there you go) makes for much better PMDD management.  I mean... I have other stress, but I think some of that is easier for me to leave up to the Lord.  I should leave it all up to the Lord, but the pressures of work were up to me to handle.  The stresses I have now... war, deployment, our stupid government... I have no control over so there is not point in getting too upset about it.  And like I said... Gabriel has that added defense that as soon as he does something annoying, he acts really cute to make up for it. 

O.k. I better go find out where my husband is... he should have been home from PT about 20 minutes ago for a shower and breakfast. 

Migraines, depression and social events... Oh My!

On the 14th, I had a VERY busy day!  PWOC in the morning and then an allergist appointment at 1 p.m.  Katie was taking Gabriel home with her from PWOC, so I had some free time in between.  A whole hour, woo hoo!  O.k. that's not a long time, but I seriously had no idea what to do with myself. 

Anyway... I did get my knitting in at the Allergist's office.  Especially since my 1 p.m. appt. was really at 2:30.  Oops!!  My Dr. graciously saw me at 1, though, and I was in and out in record time!  Probably because they don't normally schedule appointments at that time and there was no one else there!  Ha! 

Yesterday, I knitted for a little bit while watching Bram Stoker's Dracula.  (Please don't comment if I spelled it wrong.  I don't care that much.)  It was a stupid movie and so I knitted in lieu of actually paying attention to it.  We only watched about the first hour and a half or so, though, because we had to go to a party at one of Jerry's Sgt.'s houses. 

I was fighting a migraine, so we spent an hour at the party with me in a room by myself watching Gabriel while Jerry talked to his friends.  Then we went to Cracker Barrel because it was time to eat when we left and then we went home.  I didn't do anymore knitting that night because of the headache. 

So that was that... still minorly fighting the headache.  And now some nausea.  Not sure what to think.  No... not pregnant. Unfortunately.  I couldn't sleep last night and was up until 2 a.m.  My loving husband let me sleep in this morning (until 8 or so) and I'm feeling a little better. 

Now I have a LOT to do!  Have a great MLK day on Monday!

I missed a day.

14 days. 

I knitted every day for 13 days, but missed day 14.  Day 15 isn't looking too promising either.  I didn't feel well yesterday and a migraine was causing my vision to blur, so no knitting.  :(  Today, I just have a TON of things to do, so if any knitting happens, it will have to be after Master of Disaster goes to bed. 

The truth about yesterday is that I suffer from depression and I let it get the better of  me yesterday.  I have been without medication since mid-December because my Army Doctor is disorganized and can't call in my prescriptions as promised of a mix-up with getting my script renewed.  I made it through Christmas without bloodshed.  And that's an accomplishment since I had to listen to my jerk uncle cut into a conversation that he was not a part of to explain to me what "organic" means as if I'm too stupid to walk the Earth.  If he had let me finish.... anyway... calming down... Let's just say that God gave us family so that we would have a reason to pray.

Moving on....  basically, the last 2 weeks have been bad.  I'll be calling the doctor and getting in to see him SOON!  I think Jerry will call if I don't.  Things were not the worst they've ever been, but they weren't good either. 

So!  More drugs and knitting please!!  ;)

Yep... still knitting...

In spite of having the worst weekend in recent history, I'm still knitting.  I wasn't feeling well and there were other factors, but I still got at least 30 minutes in every day.  :) 

That's about all for now.  I have to get Jerry's lunch made and get Boy dressed so we can have the car today.  We soooo need another car.  I wish I could get paid for knitting.  That would be awesome! 

We interrupt this knitting so that I can be a good Mother!

This morning I woke up at 7:45 with the thought of "Wow... Gabriel is still sleeping?"  Quickly followed by "Crap, Jerry will be home from PT soon and I don't have anything done!"  Ahhhh!  So I got up and quickly did my Bible reading and prayer time.  (Sorry, Lord!)  I have to admit that I rushed through so that I was ready when Jerry walked in around 8:20ish.  I also thought that Gabriel would wake up any minute. 

I finished my prayer time and jumped on the computer.  I never make Jerry's lunch until he comes home from PT and I ask him what he wants.  Sometimes, he'll say "I'll just take a noodle bowl" and I'm off the hook.  So I was checking email when I heard him come in.  I immediately rushed down the hall to signal the need to be quiet.  (Gabriel's room is by the back door.)  And Jerry gave me a look that said "really?  He's still sleeping?"  He doesn't usually sleep this much... can you tell?

After getting Jerry back out the door for the day with a sandwich and Pepsi.  I decided to get some things done.  I worked on my PWOC database.  I took a shower and at about 10:15, I thought "I bet he's not going to take a nap, so I'm going to watch Rachael Ray and knit." 

That lasted about 20 minutes until the worrying started.  Yes, I had checked to see if he was breathing.... I even peaked in after my shower to see if he had woken up yet... but I didn't feel his cheeks for a FEVER!  So I put the knitting away and rushed down the hall. 

He's fine.  I checked... no fever.  He did, however, eat 2 pancakes (small), a handfull of blueberries, a handfull of teddy grahams (cinnamon, not chocolate), 2 handfulls of craisins, 2 cups of milk and 2 smaller cups of juice before he was done.  The Boy was hungry is a understatement. 

2 hours later, he had more Craisins, a piece of toast and a piece of cheese.  More juice.  I think he's full now.  (Let's hope, anyway.)

So hopefully, I'll get some knitting in tonight.  Owen's pattern is turning out to be so easy, that I don't even need the pattern.  That's always good!  That means, I can carry it with me and work on it when I'm sitting in the Doctor's office next week!  Yay!

O.k. have a good Friday night everyone!

Knitting so I can catch up on t.v. He, he!

So yesterday my Netflix movies showed up.  We got Yes Man and Disc 6 of last season's NCIS.  That's the disc I've been waiting for.  I missed most of the last 4 episodes where they introduced NCIS: Los Angeles and the whole "why Ziva hates Tony" and how Ziva ended up a hostage in a North African terrorist camp.  I NEEDED to know, people! 

NCIS is just about the only show that I watch regularly any more.  After the writer's strike, I realized something very important. I have a life outside of t.v.  So I tend to read or knit or something.  I do not let the t.v. schedule rule my life anymore.  (Not that it really did... I wasn't that bad.)  

In the summers, I watch Army Wives.  Since its summer and NCIS in on a break, I am still only watching 1 t.v. show a week as a routine.  This doesn't mean that I don't catch other shows from time to time.  It just means that I really TRY to keep up with these 2 shows.  The rest are hit and miss.  Its been very liberating, let me tell you.

What does this have to do with my knitting project??  Well, since my disc came yesterday and I was very, very curious and needed to know the full sequence of events with Ziva and Tony.... I watched all 4 episodes... in one sitting... while knitting.  So I am pretty well caught up on the schedule of making Owen's blanket. 

Note - please keep in mind that I did NOT watch 4 hours of t.v.  (Like I have that kind of time to just sit.)  The episodes don't have the commercials in them, so they are about 40 minutes each... maybe 45.  Still a little bit of sitting, but not as much as you originally thought, eh?  LOL 

Today I need to write Gabriel's thank you notes for Christmas presents.  I'll knit tonight while we watch Yes Man.

Pictures! Yay!

As promised... here are pictures of the things that I completed over Christmas.  (Now if I can just get them to upload correctly....  *sigh*)

 

This is an up close shot of Sophia's baby blanket.  I really liked the pattern.  I actually finished it months ago, but needed to weave in the ends.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get together with Cody to give it to Sophia in person, so I just hope that Nina gets it to her soon!  :)

Here is a shot of it folded up.  It is nice and soft.  I really hope that they like it!!

Here is Kira's long awaited scarf!  It is really long and in wool so it should be nice and warm for her! 

And a matching hat!  I believe at some point, I referred to this as "gigantor-hat".  Kira apparently has a large head, so I had to use the men's size version of the pattern.  I think it turned out nice, too.  Jerry wants one and I just happen to have a bunch of wool yarn from when we were dating that never turned into a blanket for him. Hmmmm.... ;) 

So that's all I have in the way of pictures right now.  I'm still working on Owen's baby blanket.  I only got to knit for about a 1/2 yesterday, but that's my goal.  At least a 1/2 hour during the boy's nap every day!  Last night, I was too tired to knit and afraid that I'd make mistakes.  However, I got a pretty good night's sleep last night, so hopefully during tonight's Netflix selection ("Yes Man" with Jim Carrey), I'll get some extra knitting in.  Katie feels like she's dropped, so I better get going.  (She's not due until March.)  I think I'll get it done before Owen makes his appearance, though.  :)

O.k. Have a good day everyone!! 

Owen's Blanket... Take 2

I got about 5, maybe 6, inches done on Owen's blanket, got into the pattern part and.... didn't like it.  :(  I hate it when that happens.  I'm just not so good at looking at yarn and looking at a pattern and knowing right away that they will work together.  I have to try it. 

Alix's Petit Fours needs to be done with at least 1 of the yarns being a varigated yarn.  I have 2 solid colored yarns and once I got into it I just didn't like it.  Varigated blends a little better.  I think that's why.  The 2 shades of blue were awfully different, too.  They worked next to each other in Gabriel's blanket, but there was another shade of blue and a tan and brown in that one.  Also, I looked and these 2 blues were never next to each other in Gabriel's blanket.  They are both nice shades of blue, don't get me wrong.  Its just that 1 of them is very, very light.  Almost white.  The other is darker.  For the Petit Fours pattern they were just too far off.

So the new pattern is from the same book and only uses 1 of the blues.  It is called Caroline's Sunshine.  (I think... the book is in a closet that is too close to the Master of Destruction for me to get it out and check right now.)  It has cables.  It's going to take more time.  Not too much, but a little more time.  Because there are logistical issues with cabling.  Like I maybe need to grow another hand?  I like cabling, though, or I wouldn't be doing it. 

On a side note... even though we've been separated for the better part of 2 years thanks to the Army... my husband remembers that when I'm frogging a blanket (taking it apart for the non-knitters), he should stay out of the way and not say anything stupid.  He took Gabriel to Gamestop with him, wisely did not buy anything, and then either played with Gabriel or stayed in the kitchen looking up things online.  I get cranky when I frog.  :(  Although, even he admitted that I wasn't too bad this time.  Most of the crankiness comes when I'm frogging because I've made the same stinkin' mistake 14 times and I'm just not getting it.  This was just a general... "this isn't going to work for me." 

So we now have an inch or so done on Owen's blanket?  Oh well... I think we'll all be happier in the long run.  Or at least I will.  LOL

Owen's baby blanket is started!

I have 1 row down and 45" or so to go!  LOL  At least I started it, though.  Owen is supposed to arrive around March 3rd.  I'm hoping to be done by mid-February or my birthday at the latest.  Even though I contemplated using a different pattern, I'm going with Alix's Petit Fours from the Knit Along with Debbie Macomber books.  I just love that blanket for little boys. 

For those of you that saw them... this is the blanket that I made for Kelly's son Connor and Rebecca's son, Rhoades.  :)  Its a popular pattern of mine.  Not sure why, but it is.  Tomorrow while the bigger boy is at work, I will try to post pictures of the projects that I worked on at home in Indy. 

Right now, though... the little boy is laying in front of the baby gate crying.  Now, don't call CPS yet, I was in there for 20 minutes trying to figure out what is wrong and calm him down.  My best guess is that he woke up on the wrong side of the crib from his nap.  Yep... his life sucks.  LOL  More tomorrow!

Annnndddd we're back...

We survived our 2 days of traveling back to Siberia and are home again.  Its -3.  That's all I'm saying about that. 

Tonight's knitting will probably, unfortunately, be pre-empted by unpacking.  :(  However, since I completed Kira's hat and scarf and finished up Sophia's baby blanket while I was home, I will cut myself some slack.  I did enough pre-resolution knitting that I can start tomorrow, right?  Besides... I have a LOT to do tonight and tomorrow.  Things that fall under the category of cleaning up after The Boy.  His new love of Craisins helped on the trip, but they are also all over the car.  So tomorrow the dust buster and I will spend some quality time together in the car. 

I am tired.  More tomorrow on the post-holiday clean up efforts.