The road back

My friend Frank is out of ICU and making progress. I admit I was petrified about seeing him, but once I was by his bedside, he knew I was there and squeezed my hand with incredible strength...my fears subsided. Recovery will be slow and tedious, but Frank is in charge now and he will find his way back.

The mud pie is taking shape. Painters have been in and out touching up window moldings and repairing damage to drywall.
The pups are worn out because their activities have been restricted.

Rachel and Kevin returned from a fun time and successful exhibition in CA. Kevin's mom arrives tonight. They have a warm-up competition tomorrow, then we pack up this weekend and leave for Lake Placid International Ice Dance Championships on Aug 1.

Lots to do. Thoughts of Frank will carry us through. He is amazing.

I have a few days to think about a knitting/crochet project to take with me. Be back in touch when we return.

Detour and Mudpies

Had an unexpected, heart breaking detour. My dear friend who is aggressively fighting melanoma and Parkinson's Disease suffered a stroke the other day that required emergency brain surgery. We spent the day with him and his family. This sweet man is hanging in there, making baby steps toward progress. Its too unbelievable. I love my friend so much. I want him here forever.

The house looks like a huge mud pie as they apply the different layers of stucco. Can't wait until this is over.

I haven't knit a stitch.

Inventory

I just splurged a little. I need to learn how to do the photos but that means I need to learn to use the other computers. Lately, I'm too brain dead for that. The show was small, but nice. Knitting still overpowers crochet. Lots of local vendors with handspun.

Here's my list:
Habu textiles www.habutextiles.com - 1494 yards of jet black super fine merino wool. Its on a cone, like a thread. I must have been nuts. Its screaming, " I want to be lace." Very scary!

Dzined "Onesies" 1 oz of wool/hemp blend in a variegated mauve, gold, green, denim blue...just to play. Also, 300 yds of Irish Linen in a mauve. I can probably get a nice lace scarf out of it. The owner was nice. Accountant by day, mom, knitter, spinner, dyer by night.

Skaska Designs..the Russian Orenburg Shawl place. My favorite stop. 1 skein of laceweight silk/yak in a gorgeous, shimmery
gray. 1675 yds with a pattern for an Orenburg Lace Triangle by Galina A. Khmeleva. I bumped into her in the ladies room..she is incredible. I definitely want to take a future class with Galina to take the fear out of my lace knitting.

Rachel bought some Schaefer Yarn from Adirondack Yarns, the shop from Lake Placid. We'll see Susan in a
few weeks when we are there for the competition. 100% pima cotton in the Shari Lewis colorway..purple, blue,
pink,orange, golden yellow, lime green for a textured tank top. Very colorful, very Rachel.

A pattern for a Persian Lamb Jacket using heavy mohair boucle. www.knowareland.com I didn't buy the mohair,
but the pattern is a simple, top down and would make a nice, warm, flumpfy jacket at a guage of 2.5 sts/inch. I've got lots of stash for that.

Also liked www.BWBA.com Buckwheat Bridge Angoras, but did not splurge.

So, today I will stare at my stuff, wind the skeins and look through some lace books. I do that
alot...look. Maybe I should actually considering doing!

off wandering

Let's just say its been a week of ups and downs. House stuff, costume crazies and sewing has inspired me to return to knitting. I'm going to disappear for part of the day and wander aimlessly at the Knit and Crochet Show Market.

noisey Sunday

Its a not a typical, quiet Sunday morning. The workers are taking more windows out. The pups are safe at the kennel. Keeping them out of mischeif was exhausting.

Rachel came down with a fever, sore throat and GI upset. She's better today, but may need a check-up on Monday.

I started some sewing, but am a little rusty with the techniques. So far I have a skirt going and plan to cut out a pants pattern. Also have Kevin's boot covers ready to sew...but after I practice a little more.

No desire to knit lately. Off to sew.

In deep

We are deep into this house project. The weather has been ideal so they guys are making lots of progress. The next few days they will be working inside taking windows out, replacing flashing and reinstalling the windows correctly. The pups are completely out of wack. I keep cleaning out closets and tossing stuff.

Rachel and Kevin are working hard. Costume stuff is getting hairy. The kids will head to CA soon for a few days for a much needed change of scenery, skating in an exhibition and to celebrate Kevin's 21st birthday!

Knitting??? Crochet???? How about some sewing?. That's on my agenda. My weight loss is not happening, so I need to make some simple, comfy dresses for Lake Placid...that fit!

Back up

The chimney is going back up, block by block. Seems the dreaded noise is over for now...until the next stage of this project gets underway. The weather has been cooperating.

My brain still feels like a bouncing ball. Can't settle down to decide on a project. Last night I walked into my knitting room, looked at two wicker baskets brimming with brightly, colored, assorted, scrap yarns and started to crochet a ripple afghan. Rachel was baking muffins when I came downstairs with my project and quickly decided this would be fun for her to do!! That's OK. Maybe I'll start another one, but in a knitted pattern. There is certainly enough yarn to go around!

Well, time to get moving.

DDDDRRRRRRRillingggggggggg

The chimney is coming down, block by block. The jack hammer noise is annoying. Almost like being inside an MRI tube. Pups are tolerating it fairly well. They burrow under blankets and amazingly, they sleep. I am not having the easiest time concentrating, so I've been folding laundry, looking through magazines and trying to just get through it. A few more days of noise and then onto the next stage of the project.

SUNSHINE!!!!!!!!!

Finally! Sky is cloudy, but there are breaks of blue. Hopefully we will get a reprieve and the soggy ground will dry out. Maybe they can resume the house stuff. Yesterday I did cast on and purled the first row for the Brea bag before Stanley interrupted me.

OD and FD costumes have arrived from Russia. They are magnificent and fit the kids well. Everyone is pleased. CD dresses are just about done too. I've been doing inventory and organizing my Swavorski stone stash to be sure I have replacements. Russian glue is usally like concrete, but with all the gyrations and lifts, stones do pop off. I also plan to sew boot covers for Kevin's CD outfits. Looks pretty simple, but we'll see.

I ordered a pattern for a ribbed corset from Mode Knits. Looks challenging, but if I can do it, Rachel will look fabulous in it.

Think I'll check the garden to see how well the weeds have done!

Gray blurs

Rain, wind, rain, wind. That's the extent of it. The days are becoming gray blurs. I feel very soggy. Pups just sleep. No work is getting done on the house. Yesterday I cooked, went through my clothes and collected three hefty bags for Goodwill. I haven't watched TV at all. I should really ride the exercise bike. OY..where should I throw myself? OK, enough nonsense babble. I'm going to cast on for the back of the Brea bag. Gee, didn't I say I was going to do that yesterday???

DUCK

The rain has been relentless. Perfect for being a knitting/crocheting duck. Yesterday I got sidetracked and started to crochet a bag using the mohair I planned to exchange at Yarnings. Well, I thought it would felt up nicely, but the result was disappointing. It looks like a torpedo cover! I'll find something to use it for. There was one skein left that I swapped for some Rowan Kid Silk Night in a creamy ivory. Today I'll cast on for the front of the Brea Bag and think about what to do with the Rowan yarn.

Good knitting weather

The weather has been horrendous. Perfect for knitting, but not great for the house construction. I wound up at The Main Skein in Ambler. Marie has a beautiful assortment of all types of yarns. The atmosphere is cozy too. I bought some Araucania Nature Wool in a cavern color to try another bag for Rachel. Also went through my stash and found some bright red Cascade wool. I have one side done of the Brea Bag from the Berrocco free pattern section. Rachel likes it. Today I hope to finish the front. Still have to head to Yarnings to swap my mohair.

OK, now to cast on for the Brea Bag.

Getting a break

Its a dismal, rainy Saturday morning. Looks like we get a break from the construction. The house stucco has been stripped away. So far the inspection reports accurately detected the problem areas. The crew has been very good. Not one lazy person and the place is cleaned up nicely at the end of the day. I've been cooped up here by choice. The pups are tolerating the process well, but both came home stressed out and with some GI upsets. Nothing a little pepcid and flagyl won't cure!

I crocheted a small digital camera sac for Rachel to slip her new camera in. Dug into my stash and found some Classic Elite Mayan alpaca, or was it llama, in a vibrant purple and turquoise and purple soft, nubby, novelty yarn to fashion a flap. Its cute. Rachel likes it. Took about an hour to work up.

Not sure what I'll do today. Maybe head over to Yarnings and see about swapping two unused skeins of Wool in the Woods mohair for a different colorway. Rachel and her dad may take a drive in her new car to NJ to visit her grandparents. Good distraction from an intense week of skating.

I'm really blowing my WW program. Not proud of it either.

Isn't this fun???

So far the back of the house is down to the plywood.
Water damage is what we expected and a new
discovery...framing that holds the sunroom together
and where the the family room ballons away from from
kitchen area, is separating. There are huge gaps which
is obviously causing chronic drywall cracks. They are
working their way around to the front and a big
question is what they will discover under the
stonework covering the garage area. The front outside
entrance and archway area has to be replaced. Entire
chimney is coming down. Back windows will be removed
next week, flashing installed and the alarm rewired.
The workers are nice, respectful, neat and clean up
everything. Isn't this fun?? We are not shocked by
anything! While the process is a magillah, having a
good cast of characters really eases the stress.

Rachel is driving herself to the rink. First week skating at the
crack of fog is exhausting for all the kids. I will
go later to watch and help out with a costume fitting.

Yesterday I reorganized my knitting room and have more
yarn for seven lifetimes. I am going to try really
hard to use what I have. Last night I knit up a quick bag using turquoise mohair.
Have to make the strap and then I'll felt it.

I'll pick the boys up today. Hopefully RP's
pancreatitis has calmed down and will not become a
chronic problem. Stanley is with him so that should
help.

NOISE

They are cutting open my house with buzz saws and crowbars. It doesn't sound too good. Its gonna be a long day.
Rachel is skating, the pups are at the kennel. I may have to find a place to go if my knitting room isn't soothing.
I was geared up for this yesterday, but today I don't know. I better go.

Adjusting

Its almost 8AM and its unusual not being at the rink. Even more strange to vaguely hear Rachel wake up at 5:15AM and leave for the rink, by herself, in her little red car. Stanley and I just stared at each other, but we did not get up. Rachel wants to do this on her own now. Its time. She is capable and competent. RP is bent out of shape about this too. A new adjustment for all of us.

I am waiting for the contracters to get here. Today they do the prep work and install the scaffolding. I want to continue straightening up and moving infrequently used books to the basement shelves.

The new shawl book has some interesting patterns. Hopefully things will settle down soon so I can decide on my project. Its awful not being able to make a decision.. My brain is in a spasm!

I miss Rachel. So do Stanley and RP.

Feeling Scattered

Today we make the final interior preparations before the house repairs begin tomorrow morning. I have to go to Target to buy flat bed sheets to cover furniture, must move skating costumes into other closets and take pictures off of walls etc. Dust will most likely permeate the house through the process. All of our shrubs were removed and placed in the back garden. Sadly, we will lose our birch tree and possibly our holly tree. The noise from concrete saws, the pounding...oy. The pups will be groomed on Wednesday. If its too noisy, they will stay with the vet for a few days. Stay far away from this builder, Gambone Brothers. ....Ranting does not make me feel better. We have no choice but to get through this.

I'm sort of doing OK on my WW program. I did lose a couple of pounds, but need to really adhere to the rules if I am going to establish some better eating habits.

Last night I puttered at B&N and found a small book on Shawls. Think I'll pour a cup of coffee and go look through it before my day really gets going.

She's driving

Rachel is driving. She passed her test in a record ten minutes, about the same amount of time as it took the dentist to insert my new crown.

Well, she's about to leave for the rink, buy herself...guess i'll take a few deep breaths and retreat to my yarn stash.

Progress in small steps

I'm making progress. Had another good day on WW. I'm already feeling better...less bloated and squishy. Last night was very stormy. It put me in the mood to work up the sleeve on one of the children's sweaters I have going. Its called "Tista" and is from one of the new Noro books. I'm using Blossom and Kureyon in a rather odd color combo..browns, beiges, purples, oranges and greens. I may actually get this done before the little one its promised for grows out of it.

One more day before Rachel takes her driving test. More preparation for the house stuff. Still marinating about a special project.

Off to pack lunches, knitting and skate gear.

Successful day

I made it through a WW day successfully. I knew I could do it. Now to get through today. One day at a time. Baby goals are best for me.

Still waiting for an inspirational knock on the head so I can get a knitting/crochet project underway. Something involved...like the house magillah.

The handy man came last night and took down all the mini blinds in preparation for the construction. The rest of the week shrubs will be removed, etc. This weekend we'll organize the interior to project furniture. I expect lots of annoying dust.

Rachel has two days before she takes her driving test. She's excited. Her car is radiant red. Maybe my knitting project will be that color. hmmmm...

Now for another cup of coffee and 2 tbsp of reduced fat milk!