Just Thought I'd Show You This

This is my lovely neighbor, Sybil, showing me some mementos from her time as an ice dancer with Holiday on Ice. The inscription on the photo reads something like "What a tough job to be paid for dancing the swing waltz with Sybil!" and is signed by her dance partner. I believe she said she got the job because she could fit into the costumes, and she ended up traveling all over the States and South America in the show.

She said of her partner, "Of course, he was a homosexual -- but such a delightful young man to work with!"

Cute, eh?

Socks of Perdition

I finally finished the Spring Forward Socks. It's a lovely pattern, don't get me wrong. Love the yarn I used, love the way the lace ripples back and forth. But working with this tiny yarn and tiny needles, the project had this way of sucking out my soul as it went on, and on, and on. I'm just not cut out for this kind of project; at least, not at this point in my emotional development.

There used to be a term, during the Imperial period in Russia: "serf's work." It meant something that was so labor intensive that it would be utterly impractical to do if the worker had to be compensated for the labor in any meaningful way. I figure I've got 45 or 50 hours into these socks, and I still need to sew up the toes. Some non-knitter is going to look at them and say something like, "Those are cute. You should make a bunch of them to sell at the farmer's market." But truth be told, even if someone was willing to pay a reasonable hourly wage for them (say, $500), I just don't think I would ever do it again except for love. Then again, I do have enough left over for a whole second pair of socks. Maybe this summer, after I've had time to heal emotionally.

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Meanwhile, guess what I'm working on now? For those with limited memories of my past efforts, this is the long lost edge lacing for the Anniversary shawl. I have no excuses left, and I think I'm ready to finish it up. I even managed to complete 1 & 1/2 repeats of the pattern last night before Lenten Services. If I give it a good go, maybe I'll actually get the two edges done before I leave for Arizona, so Tammy can crochet the pieces together by Easter. (I should be knocking on wood right now.) We'll see.

And finally, here's an updated photo of the puppy and a couple more shots from the ice storm. Just because.

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After The Storm

Is there anything in this world more beautiful than an ice storm? I mean, assuming you're inside during the actual application of ice, with a cup of hot cocoa and some warm socks and all. But the morning after, before the sun warms up and takes it all away again, it's just stunning.

I have noticed, by the way, that one of the most common topics for a blog entry (right up there with "How cute is my cat?") is some variation of an apology for not blogging. "I've been too busy with _______" is the common refrain, followed by some self-induced guilt trip about the lack of blog updates. Me, I'm not doing it. Uh uh. I haven't blogged in 16 days or so because I was otherwise occupied, and I really am trying not to feel guilty about it. I mean, since I last blogged, I have spent yet another freakin' wonderful retreat weekend at Moon Beach in Eagle River. I have taught school. I have attended two funerals; one a well-earned rest for the deceased, and the other a sad little tragedy that I attended in support of the bereaved. I have attended another wonderful Lay Academy session, this time on pastoral counseling. (I should probably tell you more about that, since I came away with even more food for thought than usual.) And I finished the lace alpaca socks, informally known by now as the "Socks of Perdition." I have used my stationary bike extensively, established that despite a series of gut aches my gall bladder is in good shape, and progressed to a very squeaky "Ode to Joy" on my violin. I also made a really fine pecan pie for Rick, complete with scratch crust.

Somehow, now that I have more so-called free time, I seem to have less time for the computer. That may be a facet of my homebound location, with its
older/slower computer and significantly slower internet speeds. And frankly, the time is fast approaching when I need to invest in a new home computer - this one is having a lot of trouble with even basic photo editing, which is of course my (nominal) bread and butter these days. But I am also quite clearly spending less time in front of a monitor and more time actively participating in life.

Okay, so there's a little guilt. I like blogging, and reading blogs. I like showing off my latest project, and pondering my latest idea or concept in such a way as to invite feedback. I've missed you guys, whoever you are - the 12 to 18 people who according to my tracking page are regular readers. I'm going to try to do better; tomorrow I will have updated puppy pictures, and Sock of Perdition pictures, and so on.

Meanwhile, the wind is whipping like crazy outside. Seems like a good time to get up and make an apple crisp.

Drumroll, Please?

Nicole, the Lady at Lunamoth with the "Socks of Hideousness" contest, has found her winner: Michelle, who picked #117. And she has also found my winner for the consolation prize, consisting of the pea soup yarn and a copy of Nicole's sock pattern: Dawn, whose mother has perennially cold feet in the winter. Dawn, I think I need to send you a copy of my brother Dan's pattern for felted boot socks as well. Some of the farmers in my family swear by them, and my grandmother wore a pair during her last years. And they're fast to make up, which sounds like it will make your life easier.

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Meanwhile, the puppy is continuing her efforts to win over Dorian, the older cat (who continues to be apathetically disgusted with her). Rick likes to whisper little subliminal suggestions into her ear while he's petting her: "Luna, eat the gray cat." He's joking, of course - but either she was trying to groom Dorian cat-style yesterday, or she was experimenting with how he might taste.

He finally tagged her on the ear, which discouraged her for 90 seconds or so.

Work, Play, and Karma

Work on the Spring Forward socks continue. And I'm making progress - the first sock is done, but for sewing up the tip of the toe, and I'm bringing it to knitting group Tuesday night to optimize the chances of that going well. I've finished the ribbing on the second sock, and am half-way through the first repeat.

I'm pushing on; maybe I'll even finish it one of these days. But those size 0 needles were just driving me nuts after a while, especially since I took it to visit some knitting buddies on Sunday afternoon and only had the cheap reading glasses with me that bother my nose. In the end, I just had to tuck it away and bust out some instant gratification:

This is a squiggle shawl with mohair-wannabe and some creepy crawly chennile, both from my stash, on my largest circular needle (which is about 19, I think). I don't know who it's for or why I'm making it, but it will be about 34" wide by 60" long, and I finished the first 10" or so in less than an hour. It's easy, mindless, free (not only is it 100% stash sourced, but I think the yarns are left-overs from previous projects), and at this scale I barely need eyes, much less reading glasses.

And remember the pea soup yarn? Lunamoth has set up a give-away on her website for the Yarn Treehouse "Socks of Hideousness" which she made with her supply of the same stuff. (Turns out it's not quite the same. Mine is mint sliding into lavendar; hers is olive sliding into tangerine. But still . . . ) It seemed pretty obvious to me from the response she's had so far that there are people out in the world who like this kind of thing; so we're teaming up to offer my own "yarn of hideousness" and a copy of her "socks of hideousness" pattern as a consolation prize. It seems only right to send this yarn back out into the world to find someone who will love it for what it is.

Non, Ce N'est Pas Fini

(Pardon my French.)

I've been composing this blog entry in my head, something that involved a French exclamation and other suitable flourishes as I unveiled the completed first alpaca Spring Forward sock. I'm on the toe decrease, I swear. I just have to decrease every other row for another 4 rows, then decrease every row for a bit more, then bind off . . . then start another one.

I can do this. I just don't think I can do it yet tonight.

Well, That's Pretty Funny

I came across the blog of a Nice Lady through the knit list today - and she's got that very same "puce and spoiled pea soup" sock yarn I accidentally bought recently! I like her pattern, but I'm still planning to dye that yarn as soon as I figure out a reasonable way to put it into hanks that doesn't involve either buying more equipment or spending hours of quality time with a chair back. (This is skinny little sock yarn, after all!)

Meanwhile, I love, LOVE the previously mentioned alpaca/wool blend yarn. It makes me feel like an artist, and the colors are every bit as beautiful when knat up as they appeared on the skein. I keep hearing Aretha singing in the back of my head: This is the sock that Jami built, y'all! And check out the yardage - having turned the heel on the first sock, that first center-pull ball remains almost completely undiminished! Which means that even after these socks are completed and gifted away, I should have plenty to make an all-for-me pair of socks as well. And maybe even a pair of child's socks after that - or pedicure socks, since I happen to know a cousin or two who like pedicures. The possibilities are spreading out before me. I think I'm in love. (Or more likely in the first flush of addiction. I'm tempted to pop back by the yarn store for a quick glance at the other colors, now that I now I'd only need one skein for a project. There was this bright yellow and blue that recalled the textiles of Provence . . . .)

In other news - well, there isn't any in particular. After 3 weeks of violin lessons, I can manage a rather sour-sounding version of "Mary Had A Little Lamb" while only bowing across the D string. According to yesterday's job search, the only paralegal position posted in my county has been pulled, although I could still apply for a spot with the DNR slogging through the local swamps to trap and tag wild ducks. Instead, I've added myself to the substitute teacher list of a second local local high school, and tomorrow I'm taking the entry exam to apply for a temporary job with the census. I'm also scheduled to do another batch of glamour shots with Pam down at the salon this weekend, and I still hold out hope for that Milwaukee job (although I don't expect to hear from them for at least another few weeks).

Finally, remember those pictures I took of the steam train in December? A friend encouraged me to submit a few to the Plymouth Historical Society, which was hosting a photo contest documenting the event. I got a call over the weekend informing me that I was in the final running, and asking me to send a fresh digital image of their favorite. The winners receive a cash prize and are published in the Sheboygan Press (both of which would be nice), so I've got my fingers crossed.
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