A Whole Lot of Nothing Going On


I traded an unused coffee maker for a shredder today! I had two 12 cup coffee makers. A friend also gave me a one-cup coffee maker. Today, I traded one of the 12 cuppers for a shredder. I have a light weight shredder that sits on the top of a "Bag Buddy" with a clear leaf bag underneath but it can only take two or three pages at a time & craps out after a few minutes because it overheats. My new one will take lots of pages, turns them into confetti & goes until the bottom fills up! Progress! Since I drink tea & try to work in a home office, a second shredder makes more sense than another big coffee maker . . .

Gad, the sun is actually peaking out! I know it's supposed to be summer & the ferns seems to agree, but it also seems to rain more than it shines lately. My motorcycle students were drowned last weekend & most of the week as well. This Saturday's class was surprised by sunshine until around 4:30 when the weather alarm on my desktop turned RED & started flashing a Storm Warning. The sky had suddenly turned black & we could hear the distant thunder. I packed up the office & ran out the door to avoid getting caught in the downpour on the way home but the students were already getting soaked as they threw on rain gear once more. Just another soggy Summer Saturday. The Fraser River is overflowing it's banks, people are being flooded out & we need more water like a Fish needs a Crochet hook! My little house by the banks of the Fraser is safe & sound in all this flooding this year because Translink(our transportation/road authority) has - in it's wisdom - been building a new Perimeter Road Freeway from the deep water port to our south along the River to it's new Toll Bridge. There's an 8' high dyke with the road on top from the Port to the bridge. Thank you for something effective at last, Translink!!

But, seriously, I'm beginning to wonder if I should bother with Summer knitting at all. Most of the time I'm in wool socks, long pants & a sweater. So, I went back to work on my Poncho Pullover. It's the Cabin Fever sweater I chose to knit in the assorted collection of Blue skeins of Briggs & Little Wool I bought on sale at Knitopia in White Rock. It's knit from the top down with increases down the front, back & arms to make the poncho shape. And I'm ready to divide it for body & arms. I made it a little larger than I actually need because I intent to soak it in the washing machine & toss it into the dryer to FULL it a bit. I don't want to shrink it but just 'finish' it enough to keep it flexible but keep the wind from blowing through. I did up a large swatch & threw it in the dryer with some other stuff for a few minutes to see what would happen. I loved the fabric that came out!! So I'm going to throw in the whole sweater when the time comes . . . . If the worst happens, well, I can always use another knitting bag.

No new socks on the needles right now since I've also been trying to knit that Indian Vest for my Ex. The back it now almost to the armholes - can't do any more until I measure it on him & take a couple of other measurements. My hands can sure use the break. In the meantime, I have to admit I've been trying to see if I can somehow make the stretch lace pink socks that Linda sent in the goody box work. I picked up all the stitches & have been wondering if I can pick one sock back to give me enough yarn to finish both toes. The completed foot is quite long & very stretchy. Since toes don't need patterns, I think it might work out just fine. I just have to TINK not FROG to keep the pattern intact! So much better than knitting from scratch!!!