IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS

First of all, let me confess to being wickedly weak. I dragged my heels for two days fretting and pacing and finding numerous ways to distract myself over the weekend and at the last minute......I totally caved! The EZ Aran lives......huzzah!!!!! I just couldn't bring myself to destroy her. This is the piece that taught me how to do cables without the cable needles and will teach me how to do steeks and using stitch markers to preserve one's sanity. It will be finished this year, having been started long ago, and far away (back when I lived in New Hampshire).

I am done with Ragna, done with Joan's gift, and almost done with my first (of 2) stockings. It will be finished tonight and I will soon felt it. Meanwhile, I am looking to earn some bucks toward U4EA's repairs and new shoes. I got my first deposit the other day from Half.com. That's been an easy, painless way to rid myself of some books. I still have about 10 others listed. I also am going to start selling some of my overstash (is that possible?! OVERstash?) on eBay. I'm maxquilts there and will be listing things over the next few days. I have Paton's Divine in quite a few colors, and will have many Koigu listings in amounts of 1,2, and 3 skein lots. I also have a few other sock yarns. Hopefully, there will be many more to come. I really believe that if I try, I can force myself to part with more soon. At least, I hope I can!

And the final word today comes from another of the cats who tolerate my presence here in their home. This is Aggie, short for Agate, who makes a truly unique statement when she sleeps:

A VERITABLE FROGGIN' OCEAN

This is the sad but true story of some very special wool and the dire predicament it faces.

The mother of someone very close to me purchased some gorgeous, snowy Aran yarn in Ireland many years ago, along with several pattern books. The large bag is labeled "Blarney Woollen Mill, County Cork" and a handwritten price tag is affixed which reads 9.5 pounds. This beautiful lady passed away before she could make the sweater which she intended to be for her daughter. And her daughter, who couldn't bear to look at the bag, passed it along to me knowing how I loved to knit and frolic in wool.

I knew when I received the bag, that ultimately I would make a sweater for this dear girl, knowing it was the only possible use for this particular wool. After sorting through the patterns in the bag and through every other Aran pattern on which I could place my hands, I finally decided that EZ's Aran from her Knitter's Almanac was the best choice. So with tons of markers and a huge gulp, I began.

Fast forward two years when I resurrected the project and resumed work on it. I had been very careful to achieve the correct gauge and was pleased with the results. I was almost to the top (it's knit and then steeked) when I began to realize that this sweater was going to consume the tiny woman for whom it is intended. She would literally be able to use it as a coat, and a not very flattering coat at that. So I once again set it aside. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth ensued.

It's ten days later and .................today is the day. This beautiful baby is going to be ripped. Completely, utterly ripped, reskeined, and wound back into center pull balls.

It will become a new Aran cardigan better suited to the petite pixie who will wear it. And while it's killing me to have to do this, I know it's the right thing. Somehow, that's going to help. Eventually.

THE HARDEST PART IS SHIPPING THE BOX

I can knit for hours and hours. I think knitting and reading are 2 of my favorite things. So I was pretty enthused about the most recent Afghans for Afghans campaign of knitting for 7-14 year olds. I made a sweater with some grey Peace Fleece I had in my stash. It will be very warm, and can be worn by either a boy or a girl. Then I found a very neat bottom-up pattern online that is for a bulky weight yarn and one skein of Noro Kureyon. I had those in the stash, as well. I used half of the Periwinkle colored Lopi I have and Noro Kureyon #87. This baby is also going to be wonderfully warm and cuddly. Then I looked at the multitude of Paton's Divine skeins lolling in a laundry basket and paired two of them, Floral and Orangina, with burgundy Classic Merino worsted weight. Crocheted with the two yarns held together, this, too, will warm some child this winter. Plus, I had the bonus of being able to crochet. I don't do enough of it.

So while I loved the knitting, the crocheting, and thinking about doing something for someone in need, I hafta admit that sending off the box was, well, a major league pain in my derriere!

When I venture out, I carry an 8 pound container of liquid oxygen that hisses, emits vapor, and, generally, frightens small children. The little tank is held by a thick, rigid handle. No backstrap, no belt, no shoulder bag, (although I have begun to remedy that). Anyway, add a 6 pound box of extraordinarily awkward size and proportion, and opening doors or getting in or out of the car becomes a serious challenge. Imagine how I felt when, after standing 5 minutes at the little Post Office counter in what is euphemistically called a "convenience store", I was informed by the cashier who had watched me wrestle my way into and through the store that "We ain't got any of them sticky labels, so we are only takin' stamped mail today."

Jesus wept. I almost did, too. But the sweaters and the blanket are on their way having been taken to the Post Office (the real one!) where gentlemen held doors, a young woman offered to carry the box for me and the clerk told me next time to feel free to come in first and either ask for assistance or borrow a dolly. Had it been later than 10:00 a.m., I might have asked if they loan out Jack Daniels, too.

THE SEVEN VOYAGES OF SONBAD THE SOUS CHEF

My son, CGB (Chef Grill Bitch) sailed off from Burlington, Vermont last May for sunny Big Sur, California to take a job at a lodge in a state park there. He was also joining his sister who has spent her last 3 summers there and now works and lives in Big Sur as the archivist for the Henry Miller Library. Within 6 weeks of his having moved there, Big Sur, as most of you will recall, began to burn. His being a CGB and the fire are in no way connected, as it is well documented that the fire was started by lightning. He and a small crew stayed on at the lodge feeding firefighters and foresters and waiting day to day for news and updates. Ultimately, all of Big Sur was evacuated. He, along with most of the town's residents ended up in Monterey hoping daily that they would be allowed back in. But days began to become weeks, and as his work had been seasonal, and there was no way to know when/if he'd be able to return to the lodge, he found a position elsewhere.

His next voyage found him working on a luxury dude ranch outside Jackson Hole, Wyoming, as a sous chef. Again, the work was seasonal, but it was a great position with young, wonderful employers in the heart of God's country. He works very long hours with little time off, but has had fun, met some terrific people, but, because there are few cell phone towers, he has been cut off from the outside world. He's had only dial-up computer access and, essentially, no phone service. He and I have e-mailed infrequently and I was under the impression that he was going to move on early next month to either Las Vegas or back to Monterey.

Imagine my surprise when I started shutting down my computer last night and found an e-mail from CGB asking me to check on airfares from Jackson Hole to ...................Boston! My boy-o is going home! Well, almost home. We are from the very northernmost part of the White Mountains in New Hampshire, and CGB had lived and worked 2 years in Boston. Land of the Celtics, the Red Sox, lobsters, and the Bruins. To say nothing of the Dropkick Murphys! He plans to move back there and become reunited with his belongings which have been in storage in Burlington for 6 months. He and Bahama and Thom (see above) will soon be together again and I'm glad of it.


I did work on Joan's, uh, um, thing last night. Except for the eyes and its feelers, it's done and I love it and I know she will, too. And, no, it's NOT one of these! This is Joe Rockstar who lives with Bahama Llama and Thom in CGB's life. So I'm working on Ragna for the rest of the day and should have the bottom cable ring done and have started on the top. Woohoo!

Random thought for the day: Didja ever type the word archivist but see the word antichrist? Just wonderin', is all.

SERIAL KNITTING

Is there anything quite so thrilling as the snap of the paper wrapper as you rip the label from a new skein of yarn to start...a new knitting project? "A new knitting project". Can't you just hear the music in the background? "A new knitting project" Definitely music to my ears. But with all my swatching and planning and purchasing and pattern perusing I seem to have accomplished very little. Nothing has come off my needles or been dutifully recorded in my little leather-bound knitting journal in over a week. Bad! Bad dabbling knitter!


One of my dearest friends has a birthday on October 12 (for those over a certain age, that would be Columbus Day - the real one) and while I have finished her Christmas gift, I hadn't yet completed her birthday present. Joan and I exchange small, often whimsical birthday gifts which cost little but send the message that "I know you this well and I love you". So this year I have the perfect trinket planned. I got up early (like someone sleeping with 5 animals in the bed has a choice?!) and got to work once all the wildlife was outed, inned, fed, and watered. Her gift is almost done, and will be completed today. I will wrap it in the same black/white/grey "Over the hill" paper I've used before ( I bought a really big pack of it) look for a black ribbon and send it on its way next week. I already chose her card.


Next up will be Ragna. Most of the hard part is done - the multi-cabled band that surrounds the head is almost complete. Then it is simply a case of picking up the stitches along one side of it and knitting the top and decreasing. It, too, should be done by the end of the week. Then I will have the cardi in my sandstone handspun, 2 Morgans, and another unmentioned project (she reads this blog) left for Christmas. I also have some stockings I'm making, but they're to be felted so there's only some stockinette to do and makes for lovely tv knitting, and let's be honest here. I hate to admit it, but there are some season premiers this week that this girl just ain't missing. Know what I mean? Yup, stockinette stockings. Just the ticket. So I will leave you with just a taste of Komon (she's done, she's for Christmas, so it's all you're gettin for now!)

SWATCHIN' SUNDAY

This was supposed to be "Watchin' Sunday" as in football, as in either the Bears or the Patriots, but here in the desert we only get Broncos (blechh!) or Cowboys (BLECHH!!). On occasion we'll get other games, but today is not one of those days. So I'm swatchin' without tv and that's okay. I'm so revolted by some of the political ads on tv these days ( " I survived my mom's abortion IN SPITE OF BARACK OBAMA" puhleeze!!!) And , oh yeah, about that centering, calming, sweet start to my day thing? Not this morning. My brother and wife are off visiting her dad and I've been left as chief doggie wrangler and cat strangler and 2 dogs and 3 cats left little room for Leslie in the bed. So I've been reading all morning ~The Beak of the Finch and swatching some of my yarns.

The other day when I got my new cable needles I also got the Oasis soysilk to make the 2 Morgans. I think I called this hunter. It's actually "Harvest green" although if I ran the world it would be called Swiss chard. It's a neat, almost silvery green and I like it muchly. Here's what it looks like up close. And here's the gauge swatch:

I've also been working with my handspun to help it decide what it would like to be. It's a gorgeous Ashland Bay merino/silk blend of cream, rose, blue, and hints of yellow and green that they call Sandstone. From across the room, that's exactly what it looks like. Up close it's possible to see touches of each of the colors of which it's composed and I really enjoyed spinning it as much as I will knitting it. Lovely stuff, and wonderfully soft.

I have two different possibilities in mind for it. I've swatched both and will have to just look at them for a few days to decide which way to proceed.

Until then, napping and reading sound equally appealing. At least until it's time NOT to watch the Emmy awards. Thank Buddha for Netflix!

LITTLE THINGS

It seems we get so hung up on the big issues in life that we often fail to appreciate the things that really really matter. Like our health, our children's successes, a tremendous sunset, a sweet breeze. Since I've rejoined the living I've begun to meditate and spend the first part of every morning either spinning or knitting. Sometimes with music, but often hearing only the neighborhood munchkins on their way to school or dogs yipping in the distance. I try valiantly to have patience with myself and with my knitting, endeavoring to greet the day with calm composure. I look to Hermione, one of our three cats for inspiration. She parks on my windowsill in the mornings and surveys her empire with the stillness it seems only a cat possesses.For the last several mornings I have spent time working with a lovely black yarn that I spun. It is the first shearing of baby Icelandic sheep, and I was fortunate enough to get 4 ounces of the deepest black. I literally bought this out of the hands of the shepherd who had come into Good Fibrations in Edgewood, NM to see if they'd like to carry some of his rovings. The employees and customers bought almost all he had then and there. The fiber is as soft as can be with a very delicate halo. Truly heady stuff! I decided that because I ended up with 3 small skeins I had to find some truly wonderful pattern that would show it to its full glory and would keep it close to the skin ~ yes! it's that soft. So my choice was the Ragna cap from Elsebeth Lavold's book Viking Patterns for Knitters.


Now I've been knitting for longer than many of you have been alive (no, I did not make baby mastodon sweaters) and cables are not a problem for me. I also am a great fan of knitting by charts, having learned to prefer them for lace. However, either due to chemo or child-rearing (I consider them equally hazardous to mental stability) there can sometimes be a disconnect, or an arcing, if you will, of waves in my cerebral neurons. By that I mean I can look at the chart for moments, tell myself aloud what the symbol means, and then proceed to do something which bears little, if any, resemblance to the charted directions.





I've learned to offset these synaptic shortcomings by creating my own road maps for the charts. It's a little time consuming, but Hey! it works! I make these on Super Sticky large lined post-its and then move them up the chart as I work. I also decided to break down and buy a new cable needle. I have usually used a spare double pointed needle for them, but when you only need to move 2 stitches around, that longer needle becomes tedious.



So I solved part of my cable angst with these:





I KNOW!!! Could it really be that simple? Well, apparently so! I continued along this morning knitting, centering, reveling in the gorgeous breezes, chuckling at Hermione's serenity, and slowly a little thought began to trip through those recalcitrant crenelations (the squiggly things in my brain). follow along:


left cable, cable needle to the front


right cable, cable needle to the back


Repeat after me: left cable, cable needle to the front; right cable, cable needle to the back.


After awhile it came to me (one of those "Eureka" moments):


leFt cable, cable needle to the Front and right cable, cable needle to the back (I'll be "right back")


left front, right back ~ left front, right back ~ left front, right back left





and look at the lovely result:
See? It really is the little things (I know, I know ~ from little minds).

HOUSEBOUND

Nothing like being without transportation to "encourage" fiberism! My poor little U4EA spent her formative years like this:

Turns out it's not the recommended way to extend your vehicle's longevity. Now that I'm living in the high desert of the southwest I've been amused at mechanics' reactions to the condition of her sensitive underbelly. Lately, however, my amusement has turned to horror as her ailments have increased in severity. Phrases such as "Whoa! Where did you keep this thing?" and "unsafe to drive" have nudged their way into our conversations. Unsafe? My U4EA? Bah! But I can't afford the repairs right now so she is parked in the garage, safe and sound, and because I can't shlep enough oxygen with me to take the bus, I'm pretty much marooned here. I live with one of my brothers and his gracious wife and she lets me use her car for the essentials (prescriptions and groceries) and while I should be bummed, I'm not! Why? Simple. Because I have enough fiber here to withstand nuclear winter and avenging armies.

I'm currently in full-out holiday mode. Every year I stress myself out with the last minute knitting and nonsense. But not this year! I have planned out all my gifts and am knitting them in order of effort. (Longest projects first) I'm making

• one Komon from Knit Kimono
• two Morgans from the latest Knitty (of course I ordered 4 skeins of SWTC Oasis in hunter)
• one cardigan, St. Germain, from Colinette's Parisienne book, but in my handspun silk/merino Dk
• 2 felted stockings in Paton's Classic Merino
• Ragna cap from Elsebeth Lavold's Viking Patterns for Knitters in my handspun black icelandic lambswool
• one other yet to be determined sweater vest in Uxbridge Tweeds, dark & light blue.
• and if time permits, a scarf or three

The beauty is, I have already finished the kimono, Ragna's well along, stockings are on the needles, I'm currently swatching for the cardigan and all is right with my world. Housebound or not! In fact, yesterday morning I took my Kiwi wheel out into the bright sunlight with east mountain breezes and spun miles of wool while listening to my ipod. Yup, life's good!