Paper, Paper, Everywhere!!!


So, I've spent the last three days on the computer from early morning to suppertime. Nope, not playing the latest game but doing data entry for a company that digs big holes with big toys. The boys are not good at paperwork so I got them to stuff it in a big box & I got to sort it into years while I watched the Home & Garden channel . . . . . Now I get to throw it on the computer. There are some compensations though - I've been listening to several of Ben Bova's novels. He slams the world into the Greenhouse Cliff - his version of the Greenhouse effect gone into overdrive that causes a sudden catastrophic meltdown of ice caps, a huge rise in sea levels, the drowning of all coastal cities, a total change of weather patterns & a massive shifting of the ocean currents. A whole series of books spin off with the development of the settlements on the Moon, mining of the Asteroids & exploration of the other planets. I like the multiple voices that act out the books too. I suppose if you have to beat on the keyboard all day, every day, you might as well have some good entertainment!! I started out with The Empire Builders & went on to the Asteroid Wars series. I highly recommend these books if you like realistic SciFi.

I have done some knitting in the evenings too. I finished the turquoise Garn Studio socks for the BT's mom!! I like them. This yarn is a little thicker than some of the other yarns I've used but I like the feel of it & made them a little longer than I normally do for her so they'll make good winter socks. She normally prefers short socks but I've convinced her to have so longer ones for those days when its really cold outside.

I decided to knit a couple of pairs of short socks for myself to wear in my sneakers - I have some in cotton but my darned feet get wet!! So, I hauled out a ball of OPAL in wild colors. I figure I'll get a couple pairs out of one ball. Don't you just love those little Teddy Bear stitch markers???? Handcrafted by none other than Karen, our friendly spinner/knitter/quilter. Not quite finished my Opals but I am down to the toe shaping. I'll have these ones off the needles tonite since it's Wednesday Nite Knitting tonite!!

Arvik has been on hold during the heat wave. It's been too hot to have a wool sweater draped across my knees while I knit!! It's bad enough knitting in the heat but to have half a sweater covering you is just too much!!!

So I haven't been too Wordy lately

Keeping up a blog is a pain in the ass sometimes - especially in the summer when the days go by at supersonic speed!! I've been working on Sundays lately, opening the UBrew for the old faithful client who can't bottle any other day . . . . it's okay with me since I work the rest of the day by myself in peace & quiet while I listen to my latest audio book. I've been listening to the Friday Night Knitting Club & have become embroiled in the comings & goings of Walker & Daughter!! A fun listen so far!!

Still knitting on the Arvik sweater although it's big enough so that it's also too hot to work on it! I love the fabric though & will definitely spin more yarn with projects in mind in the future. I'm guilty of producing YARN with no purpose other than to decorate my living room. Baaaaaad Sharon. I've turned the heels on my Garn Studio socks - the Parents Who Have Everything will be pleased when their birthdays arrive next month! The male half is getting shades-of-brown for his birthday while Her Nibs will be getting the turquoise jobs in the photo on the last edition of this blog.

I considered joining the Tour de Fleece but decided not to. I've got enough on my plate this year!! But in it's honor, I've been hauling the Indian Spinner outside in the morning when it's cool to spin for a half hour or so. I'm really enjoying it with my morning tea . . . . I get to see the squirrels running along the fences while the crows dive bomb them! The cat lays in the old chair & mewls at the little birds landing on the steps while I work.

Last nite, the boys who brought me the 150 pound pot of bamboo arrived with hacksaws & box cutter to cut a piece off for the new patio planter one of them bought. I was happy to let them since I wanted a smaller bamboo to stuff into the new pot I bought for it. I got the biggest plastic outdoor pot that Revy had. It was too small. The bamboo had to get a root cut. After an hour of almost constant chopping, cutting & jumping - they took turns!! & I dug out a folding camp shovel that doubled as an adze - the boys finally hacked off a piece big enough to stuff in their planter!! The bamboo was mostly intact but had lost about a third of its roots, 40 pounds of rock & a little dry dust in the middle of the pot. The poor thing had grown around the rocks in its bottom so that they were almost engulfed by wood. All the pounding, jumping & laughter drew it's fair share of curious neighbors to gauck of course. But, it's now snug in it's new pot with mushroom manure & topsoil after soaking in water all nite. I think it looks happier! Anyone want a piece????

That's about it except for all the late tax returns I've been doing. Maybe I'll finally get mine done one of these days.

So it's July already

I'm not sure what I've been doing lately but the time sure has slipped away. I remember my Grandmother talking about how time speeds up as you age. I thought she was nuts at the time! I guess I've joined the nutty generation.

But, I have been knitting. My Ginny sweater in recycled purple yarn is almost finished. I've got a little piece of one sleeve to do. And then I have to figure out what kind of edging I'm going to do - maybe just a couple of rows of single crochet??? I wonder how it would look to edge it in dark plum on a light purple sweater??? Hmmmmm?? Remember, I'm no photographer & the purple is actually darker while the light pink is actually a lavender color!


Arvik - the handspun shetland wool - is down past the armholes & into the body! I'm edging it with seed stitch instead of garter or ribbing - I'm soooooo tired of ribbing!! Isn't it neat the way the natural colors of the fleece make a nice stripey effect??? Not sure if I'll put on pockets yet - they only bag & sag anyway, so maybe it's not a good idea. I intend to finish off the bottom in seed stitch as well as the cuffs too. Or the arm banding. Depends on whether this sweater gets long sleeves or three quarter sleeves. Still haven't decided. This is my very FIRST handspun sweater! The girls sure were mad at me when I frogged it the first time . . . . . I promised to keep this one intact so I have something for Show & Tell at the Fall Retreat!

I couldn't help it but there's another pair of socks on the needles! These are in a Garn Studio yarn that's kind of stiff & scratchy but I'm hoping that's just the sizing they put in it when they spin it. I'm up to the heel shaping at the moment. There are times when you really NEED a smaller project to pack around with you . . .


Got out the Indian Spinner & have been spinning early in the morning when it's cool. I sit outside & spin while watching the squirrels run across the wires & down the fences with peanuts in their mouths. I found a whole Hershey bar buried in my hanging basket of succulents one day! The squirrel got to it off the stairs & kicked out some of the succulents to make room for the candy bar. I'm not sure what that damned squirrel thought it would do with a candy bar, but like a dog with a fresh bone, it buried it. This is certainly the weather to hang freshly washed & dyed skeins outside to dry. I got the itch to dye something but I have to spin the wool first. Mmmmm - now that I think about it, I could dye some of those Brown Sheep mill ends & then spin them . . . . . I wonder how that 'egg' shaped lump would come out????