I Was Knit Together In My Mother's Womb

so they are not medals, but coins.  Anyway, my Secret Pal reminded me that I have style over speed ! So my agony of defeat accessory purchases were these pendants, which I got for a ridiculously low price on EBay.

      Looks like I got me some gold, silver and bronze to wear around my neck...it may be awhile before I wear that Olympic Scarf around my neck!

It has been an amazing thing to view some of the completed Olympic Knitting in blog land, though. You women are incredible. Just incredible!

You know I mentioned I had a difficult week last week. The thing is, we often create our own difficulties. Now I'm not saying we have any control over the actions of others, or the weaknesses of family, or rejection, or natural disasters, or anything like that. What I am saying is that we typically have no control over such things, and yet we act as if we do. I can be just like that. My ultimate revelation this past week was recognizing that by coming through many difficulties in the past, I have in some ways tried to control the things around me...we're talking relationships, here, not natural disasters...although some relationships indeed are natural disasters (does anyone have a family?) I have also learned some pretty ugly defenses growing up and through some of those trials of the early years. 

The good thing is that I don't always show that control and ugliness. Most of us don't...those things just slink around on the inside of us, waiting for the most stressful times in our lives to display themselves in all of their control and ugliness! The other good thing is that over the years I've also learned forgiveness...I've just not practiced it on a daily basis, which we must. But in the most stressful times of our lives, particularly when it involves the people we love the most, don't we seem to be inclined to react at our extremes?  Consequently, what happens is that instead of showing love and forgiveness, compassion and understanding, we can display the ugly walls, which only shut people out.

I can say that I am grateful for the people that love me enough to show me when I am acting in the extremes of my defenses...and that love me enough that they don't just see the extremes.  And although it is never easy or pain free, I am also thankful that I can say that I'm sorry. Does that make it all better? Does it fix the uncontrollable? No, but it frees me up to learn one more lesson in unconditional love and how to do it.

I am just a work in progress. And some day,some day when I do grow up, I know that I will be perfect! Just like my dogs think I am!

or perhaps as perfect as Pooh-Cat thinks JR is.

 

When I was in school, I was always the last to be picked for a team. I hated track and field day...I never ran the runs or the dashes. My favorite sport was square dancing. The only basket I ever made was a total fluke when a ball came flying at my face and by reflex I hit it and it miraculously landed in the hoop..tragedy was, it wouldn't even count as a point since it was the opponent's basket. I tried skiing once. As I longingly looked on the bunny hill, my friend said, "The best way to learn is to just go to the top of the hill...in the chair lift. This is how you snowplow." And the best way for me to get down the hill was on my rear as elementary aged skiiers laughed past. I did play varsity field hockey, but I confess, I never was good at sports.

  Why did I think I had the focus required to complete even a scarf for the Knitting Olympics! I can't believe two weeks has passed since opening ceremonies! I have fallen behind...I'm one of the laggers. I will need to go buy a gold medal for myself. In fact, I really do want to find some gold medal pendants or coin pendants....I think they look really cool grouped around your neck. I'll buy my own stinking medal, I swear I will.

But in all fairness, I have been working on some other projects during the Olympics..

My vest:

  and my Meg Swansen shawl.

fg  

I'm trying to get over a difficult week.  One of the things that helps is getting yarn in the mail. These skeins are my end of a trade with Heather. For a knitting bag, I got these two wonderful skeins of Heather-hand dyed merino . What a way to lift my spirits!

Determined to have a good weekend... Jon J is coming for a sleep-over!

A belated thank you to my Secret Pal! I love when a holiday is extended...when the excitement of the day turns into day after day! Sort of like having Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Christmas parties and dinners with family. Ms. Secret Pal sent me a very pretty necklace with her Valentine. In addition, it was wrapped in such a way that I didn't even want to open it! Sort of a gift within a gift.

THANK YOU SECRET PAL! 

And thank you to Isela, who sent me this blog contest sock yarn...

It makes me think of spring. And we haven't even had winter yet.

She had healthy food, was not living in squalor...

  So JR and I were delighted and comfortable with Amelia's situation!  It was a good visit to Raleigh, and a comfort to know that another of our children is doing okay away from the nest. One thing I will say is that she certainly has a good handle on the restaurant scene! WE INDULGED!

(do you also notice that Amelia is wearing the poncho that I made for her?)

I was further indulged on Saturday with a few yarn shop visits.

First was a little spot in Carey, called Shuttles, Needles and Hooks (or something like that!) Tucked in  a sweet little house, this yarn store had more than you can imagine. There were rooms full of yarn, patterns, samples, notions...

I have never seen anything quite like it! I was so overwhelmed with the amount  of yarn that I didn't buy anything until I saw (quite by accident) a new Debbie Bliss Book called "Wish You Were Here."  The shop owner is also sending me her pattern for some very cool knee socks that have fair isle, entrelac and stripes.

Next we went to  Great Yarns.

Great yarn, great environment, great help.  I met with knit blogger Erin for an afternoon of knitting and getting to know one another. As you can see, we really did get to know one another! Erin is a fantastic knitter, very conversational, comfortable and cute! We had a great time, and I look forward to being in touch with this  "fellow enabler" very soon so she can send me more yarn from this store!

Here is my haul:

   

Some beautiful RowanTweed Aran (these pictures are bad...it is a gorgeous brown with flecks of purple and blue tweediness.) and two skeins of a delicious Australian Merino. I am going to make my sock pal socks with this yarn, using the newest IK lace sock pattern. (I copied this idea from Lisa, by the way.)

Let's not forget this bargain of a bargain...an Elizabeth Austen Knitting bag for less than half price.

Great Yarns also had the most incredible Lantern Moon knitting bag I have ever seen..but at $90, I couldn't do it.

Check out this bag...it is just yummy!

http://www.lanternmoon.com/FRB.asp

ROAD TRIP!!!!

To North Carolina! I've done my research, found the yarn stores, made some contacts and I'm ready to buy yarn! Well, we are really going to visit our daughter Amelia in Raleigh, but what's a road trip without a yarn crawl?

I am so delighted to have a long weekend get-away with my husband. We are escaping the dreadful weather forecast for the Northeast and  will perhaps enjoy just a bit of warmer weather for at least a few hours.

I have to tell you a funny thing about Valentine's Day.  When I got home from work, my daughter Kate called to ask what JR had done for me. He has a reputation of treating me in some rather sweet and unusual ways. Katie delighted to tell me (as she was munching on home-made sponge candy from a local chocolatiere) that Ray had roses delivered to her.

"So what did JR do?"

"He took me to lunch. Surprised me at work, even."

"So where did he take you?"

"Fuddrucker's"

"Really, Mom? ... cause nothin' says love like a good cheeseboiga!"

Then this morning, as I ordered altar flowers from our church florist , Debbie, the owner, asked if my husband came through for Valentine's day. Any chocolates, she wondered?

"Not so much as an M & M," I replied.

Later today, some beautiful flowers, arranged in a ceramic  M &M container, with two bags of M&M's,  were delivered to my desk, from "Guess Who?"

All I can say is, my girl Debbie knows how to treat a girl right for Valentine's day!

Love.

 

      

 

Cables...

 

Lace...

Cables and Lace...

Now, shall I explain this potpourri of UFO's, FO's and KAL's?

This weekend, I finished another of those dang  cabled clutches...this one done in a brown BurlySpun, with a really lovely brown soft and floppy satin ribbon. I finished it up so I could teach the Lockport gang (which continues to grow, thank you Maria and Faith for bringing friends and more friends!) how to design their own cabled bag. Some did small clutches, some large. Some did  tote bags and some designed their own cable patterns. It really was a fun project...quick knit, too with big needles and one skein. I'm going to do a very funky bright pink lining in my brown bag.

I continue to make progress on the cabled vest, however the most progress was in finding the perfect metallic shoes to wear with it!

  Eeeww...my feet look like cadaver feet.

Of course I will wear these bronze beauties with things other than my incomplete Soft Lux vest. I'm not that impractical...

Lace? I started Lace. Friday, Mr. Billy, the mailman delivered a surprise from none other than Meg Swansen, of Schoolhouse Press. Well, actually, the surprise was from my Secret Pal, who ordered the yarn from Meg. She and I are doing the same VK Meg Swansen Shawl      and she went and had the yarn sent to me! Isn't that the best thing??? Who needs a Better Pal, when you have my Secret Pal?

 

Well, I right away had to cast on for that shawl!

And the Knitting Olympics project began on Friday night...during the opening ceremonies, which I didn't get...it was like watching a very artsy Italian movie, I guess. I did watch the bi-athelon, which was of particular interest, not because it combines skiing and gun-shooting, but  because there was an athlete who competed named J. Robert!  That's my husband's name! Well, poor J. Robert came in something like 11th place.

But  my Alterknits Scarf/ Shawl/ Wrap is going to be number one with me! This yarn is so stinking soft...it is an angora/merino blend. The more I knit it, and watched the Olympics, the more I realized how much this design has in common with the Games.

 

Not only is it white as the Torino snow, it symbolizes many winter sports. The luge, cross-country skiing, the rolling moguls...I see ski tracks, boot tracks in the snow, and the beautiful rhythm of a scratch spin.  I just can't think of a better Knitting Olympics project!

And, I must confess, I am one Jaywalker that got run over. I will never Jay walk again. I don't even like knitting socks that much, so for me to start over as many times as I did, and still not get a good fit...these socks are not for me. R.I.P.

 

No more Jaywalkers.

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle.  I actually won a blog contest!  Isela, of the RAOK Ring had a de-stashing contest and I figured, oh, heck... and I won a couple of skeins of sock yarn! Isela has just written the cutest post "Be Still My Heart" about her little boy wanting to knit.  Thank you Isela!

And for lack of anything else very interesting to write today, I'll grab this meme...(I'm always a day late and a dollar short with these things)

4 Jobs you have had in your life:

1. Camp Counselor

2. Home/Hospital Teacher

3. Library Clerk

4. Housekeeping assistant in a men's dormitory when I was in college.

4 Movies you could watch over and over:

1. Pride and Prejudice (Colin Firth version) I love Mr. Collins in all of his oiliness and graciousness. 

2. Planes, Trains and Automobiles

3. Terms of Endearment

4. Gray Gardens

4 Places you have lived:

Other than college in Edinboro, PA, I have lived in the same small school district my whole life!

4 Places you would rather be right now:

1.Knitting at home

2.Disney World with Jon J. and Augie

3. Lounging on the deck of a sailboat while my husband sails us around a warm vacation island.

4.Having a hot stone massage at the Pillar and Post

4 TV shows you love to watch:

1. What Not to Wear

2. Survivor

3. 24

4. The Dog Whisperer

4 Places you have been on Vacation:

1. Disney World

2. Hawaii

3. California

4. The Adirondack Mountains

4 websites you visit daily:

1. Typepad

2. Knitting blogs of one or the other variety.

3. Fox News

4. webmail.rochester.rr.com

4 of your favorite foods:

1. Cheetohs

2. Don Pablos Chicken Quesadillas

3. Smart Food

4. Pizza

5. Raspberries

6. Tenderloin

7. Fish Fry

8. Maple Walnut Ice Cream

9. Tostitos with Queso that I make with Ro-tel (lime and cilantro variety) and Velveeta

10. Birthday Cake

11. Fried Bologna sandwiches with melted American cheese on white bread. Chips on the side.

12. Naval Oranges

13.Tootsie Rolls

14. M&M Cookies

15. Salad from Olive Garden

How do you explain where a weekend goes?  I can almost understand the many hundreds of times I would ask my kids what they did for an evening or over a weekend, to be answered  "I dunno" or "Nothing."  I feel like I could say that on this Monday, when actually, I had a very busy weekend. I guess  if you asked me if anything EXCITING or OUT OF THE ORDINARY  happened over my weekend, I may just say "I dunno."  We did shop a bit, watched a movie, Superbowled at Jon and Lisa's house, churched on Sunday, and auctioned on Friday. Even that was so-so. 

Our big $4.00 purchase was .....       

1960's vacation pennants!  Here is the very interesting thing about these pennants... I have vacationed in that same era in those exact places!  My family camped and we traveled to so many cool places...other than Clovis Mountain. I do wonder just what I may have missed in Clovis Mountain, now that I have the pennant, though. Anyone ever been there?

Last week I started a new project.  After browsing the Winter VK, I had to do this vest. Alas, this lovely Rowan Soft Lux will never become Bubbles. I decided that as much as I love Bubbles, the collar is much too broad for my frame. The best thing about this concession is that I am sticking to my New Year's resolve to only knit those things that I know will be the best fit for me and that I will wear.

So the Soft Lux is becoming this vest.

  I LOVE this yarn. LOVE this yarn. It is so soft and just enough Lux with that tiny gold thread that runs through it.  The color is a soft gray-purple. I'm thinking of the perfect pair of metallic pumps to wear with it ....

I also put together some great fabrics for more knitting bags....

some with very special vintage touches. 

I can't wait to get them together!

You know, I was just thinking... I can't really say that my weekend wasn't exciting. There is something exciting  about every day if you just look hard enough.

I actually cried at work. It was that kind of day. These were not the tears of compassion or heartbreak for someone else, they were plain old selfish tears. It was that kind of day yesterday, and I can't even explain it, other that good old PMS. It's funny how you can have so many exciting things happening in a week (which I can't tell you about now...surprise, surprise!) and the mood drops at the slightest provocation!

My husband called to tell me I had a package. A Secret Pal Package...I even begged him to open it and he refused, telling me it was just too interesting for me not to see it as it was delivered... So I waited through my day, then waited through choir practice, waited through the long drive home to find this

  and you are not going to believe what was in this precious package!

  On a day like today!  I love you, Secret Pal!

Now, my pal must be an interesting lady...

  This box was wrapped in paper and had the wildest selection of stamps I've ever seen!   Isn't this too funny?  But I want my pal to know that I loved Ronald Regan, I love Disney World, and I want to love China.

I have tried to maintain a "separation of church and blog" for as long as I have been blogging... but you know I work in a church and I mentioned choir practice...if any of you are church people (or even if you are not) I would invite you to log on to our church website on Sunday. We now have live stream of the services at 9am and 11am EST and you will get to see and hear what I think is one of the best church choirs ever. We have 200 choir people and well, I'm just proud to be a part of it. We have an incredible live orchestra and music team. AND...if you look hard enough, maybe you will see me singing in the alto section!

Gosh, knitting has been slow this week. And I feel as though I've been knitting every spare moment. My jaywalkers ,

And, I got a sock pal!   I'm a bit nervous about this venture since I'm not much of a sock knitter....and she is!  So, my first Sockapaloooza adventure will ensue.

Speaking of adventures, did you know that yesterday was Robinson Crusoe day?

And, speaking of adventures, did you know that tonight is a new season of Survivor?

SURVIVOR: EXILE ISLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!