Seven Quick Takes Friday – 4

1

Yes, I missed two weeks. No, I don’t really have an excuse, but I’m going to try to justify it anyway.

2

Over the last weekend in January, our daughter was in her high school’s production of “Les Miserables”. She was Little Cosette.

She was awesome. The other kids were pretty awesome too. Rumor has it the production will receive some type of high school theatre award for being so awesome. The audience said the show was so awesome it was better than some professional productions they had seen. Awesome!

3

Either a) I need to work on my vocabulary or b) I’ve been watching too much of Barney on “How I Met Your Mother”. Silly streaming Netflix!

4

Last week, I finished my research paper and my PowerPoint for my computing class. There’s nothing like throwing some Catholic-like trivia at your classmates via the class discussion boards. My topic was “El Camino de Santiago”. Why yes, I will be using electronic media to evangelize subversively! In all fairness, we WERE allowed to choose ANY topic we wanted for the project. A health professional in our class chose leprosy so I guess anything is fair game, right?

5

Our next project will be building our own web page. No, a blog doesn’t count. Would anyone care to make any suggestions for my new topic? I’m thinking apparitions of the Blessed Mother right now – Lourdes, Fatima, Kibeho… J

6

I’m still hooked on “Downton Abbey”, and I’m none too happy about the whole Lady Mary-Sir Richard thing going on. I guess that’s what makes it all dramatic.

7

I’m midway through Week 7 of the secret workout project. Simply challenging myself to run longer than recommended in some of the earlier weeks moved me up in the recommended workouts. Yes, I’m a bit of a perfectionist, and I’m really competitive with myself if no one else. I do wonder though if running these “long” distances on a treadmill will actually translate into the real world someday. I’ll have to test that theory out after I hit the 3-mile mark and actually do well with it.

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Bless you this week!

Lisa

For more Quick Takes, stop by to visit Betty Beguiles! She's hosting for a couple of weeks while Conversion Diary takes a short break.

Seven Quick Takes Friday – 3

1

If you’ve read my “about me” section, you know I’m a teacher on hiatus. I’m on hiatus by choice to be home with our teenaged kids during these critical years, but I’m also using it for educational purposes. I’m trying to add an endorsement to my teaching license so I can teach Algebra to middle school kids. Having a middle school math endorsement on your license apparently does not qualify you to teach Algebra to middle school kids.

2

Since I was an International Politics major in my undergrad years, this means I now have to complete all the coursework most people do to get a math major. No, I don’t get an extra degree after completing the 9 courses (7 required plus 2 prerequisites) I need for this endorsement. This means that with all the education courses I took just to get my teaching license, I will have 60+ credits of undergrad credit I’ve earned after getting my original degree. Lesson learned here? Choose your major wisely and with advanced thought and planning!

3

The good thing is that I can add the high school math endorsement with only 3 more courses beyond these 9 for middle school Algebra.

4

I’m blessed to be able to take most of these courses online through a local community college. The last two courses I have to take are only offered on campus, but I figure 2 out of 9 is pretty good average and worth it if I can spend most of my time at home.

5

What all this has been leading up to is that my latest course – Introduction to Computing – started last week. The first unit was very easy, and I finished all my work 4 days early. I already am not fond of the second unit's work. I don’t want to write five-paragraph footnoted essay or build a PowerPoint presentation on the topics of my choice – it’s my stubborn pride rearing its ugly head. I guess this is one of those humbling experiences where I have to accept that I’m in freshman level course and that the professor is assuming we know nothing. Why are humbling experiences so painful?

6

I watched the latest episode of “Downton Abbey” last night, and I’m so glad I only have to wait until Sunday to see the next one. I realized with guilty pleasure that it’s a bit like a soap opera with better writing, costumes, and drama. I am so wrapped up in the stories of Anna and Mr. Bates and of Mary and Matthew. I don’t have to be truly guilty though since it’s Masterpiece Theatre, right?

7

I finished week 2 of my secret workout project yesterday. Week 3 starts tomorrow. Right now, it’s easier than I expected, and I’m actually enjoying it. There must be some truth to those rumors about a “runner’s high”.

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Bless you this week!

Lisa

For more Quick Takes, stop by to visit Conversion Diary!

Seven Quick Takes Friday – 2

1

Last Saturday was the Feast of St. Raymond of Peñafort, our parish patron. Each year, the church hosts a dinner for the volunteers who contribute to the running of the parish. I was blessed enough to attend as an R.E. teacher, member of the wedding committee, and money counter. I had a wonderful time catching up with a few other members of the wedding committee whom I had not seen in a while. The evening also fed my ego a bit as a few members of the knitting ministry repeatedly commented on the shawl I chose to wear that night. It was a great opportunity for me to practice thanking people without then launching into a discussion of my mad knitting skills. It’s so much easier to just say thank you without trying to draw more attention to myself. This is a lesson that has been very hard for me to learn and with which I need much more practice. (Obviously, since I’m mentioning my knitting prowess…again.)

2

Sunday just dragged by because the dear husband was away on business all this week. Why does time move so much slower when you are not with the ones you love most?

3

We had some snow on Monday, and I was privileged enough to run around in it during the evening rush hour. Three trips out to ferry the children about on the (thankfully clear) roads in a snow shower ranks up there among my least favorite things to do. Remind me tell you about having to take them to piano lessons in last January’s sneak-attack blizzard.

4

I went to Bible study on Tuesday, and we reviewed Matthew 4. Here are some interesting things my teacher brought up in class:

• Jesus's trials in the desert during his 40-day trial are the opposite of Israel's sins in the desert during the 40-year Exodus.
• Israel whined about food, and God had to provide it - Jesus fasted.
• Israel tested God - Jesus refused to put God to the test.
• Israel worshiped false gods - Jesus refused to worship Satan.
• With each rebuke, Jesus quoted from the book of Deuteronomy. This would have meant much to a 1st century Jew, the intended audience of Matthew's gospel, and would have helped to point out Jesus as Messiah.

5

On Wednesday, I got to go on a search for flesh-colored tights for the girl who will be performing as “Little Cosette” in the school’s production of Les Mis. Thank goodness there is a well-stocked dance store not too far away that is able to cater to last-minute shopping drama mamas like me. Of course, I would not be a last-minute shopping drama mama if the directors would give me more than 5 days’ notice that she needs those tights before dress rehearsals begin…

6

I am re-addicted to “Downton Abbey” on PBS. I watched all of Season 1 by streaming them on Netflix this week, and I followed that up by watching the first episode of Season 2 online on Thursday.

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

I positively loathe Vera Bates for returning and pulling Mr. Bates away from Anna. I’m disappointed to see Thomas has returned – I would have liked to believe he was gone for good – but I guess the show needs a villain-type character to keep things interesting. I did think it was typical of his weasel-like character to arrange to be shot just to get away from the fighting. I’m mourning for Matthew and Mary who appear to have lost their chance to be together. I do find it particularly delicious though that Edith who previously called Mary a slut for some untoward behavior has now kissed the married farmer on whose farm she was working. I will love to see what Mary does with that bit of information!

7

And last, but not least, I’ve started a secret workout project with which to surprise my family at a later date. Details may emerge as things progress, but I am trying to keep this latest goal of mine under wraps. Let’s just say that I have made it through the first week, and it is easier than I thought it would be. In 8 more weeks, I hopefully will have some interesting fitness news for them which I hope will inspire them to join in.

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Bless you this week!

Lisa

For more Quick Takes, stop by to visit Conversion Diary!

Seven Quick Takes Friday – 1

1

I don’t blog very often…or ever. Seriously, check out the last time I posted anything on here. I hope that Quick Takes will inspire me to say a few things a little more often.

2

This used to be my “knitting blog” – thus the title. I’m still knitting – mostly socks, scarves, and shawls of late – but I just don’t care enough to write about it anymore.

3

In an ideal world, this will turn into a blog that lets me reflect on what’s really important to me these days: my faith.

4

I’m a convert to the Catholic Church, and I’m in love, Love, LOVE with everything about my God, my Savior, and my Church. I think I make my family a little bit crazy with all my Catholic-ness.

5

Conversion story in 5 minutes or fewer?

I had to convert because I was looking for spiritual authority.

I was raised Episcopalian, but I had to leave that community in 2001 when they made some rather un-Scriptural decisions. We then started attending what is basically a non-denominational church in CA which gave me wonderful opportunities to study the Bible. When we moved home to VA in 2008, we started attending a Community Church whose worship was similar in style to what we had in CA.

I wanted to be involved with the middle school youth group there because of our daughter who was that age at the time. At some point in some discussion with the other leaders of the group, one of them casually mentioned off-hand that this particular community did not recognize infant baptism – which is how every member of our family was baptized. That sent me into a tailspin, because I have always confessed one baptism. I believed I had no choice but to start looking for a place where all my beliefs from the Nicene Creed – which I had always professed – would be accepted.

I started researching to find who had the authority to determine the validity of someone’s baptism, and in order to do that, I knew I had to find the historic church of Jesus and the apostles. The more I read, the more I knew I had to be in the Catholic Church. I also discovered that ALL my long-held beliefs from the Nicene Creed were already in line with Catholic teaching – makes sense since the Church wrote it!

This all started for me around Easter of 2009, and I was received into the Church at Easter 2010. The children started attending Mass with me in Advent 2009 when their dad had to work weekends and could no longer take them to the other community. They started RCIC in Summer 2010, and received their first Communion in Sept. 2010. Our daughter was confirmed at Easter 2011, and our son will be confirmed with his R.E. class in Spring 2013.

6

I have never been happier, more at peace, or more secure in my faith than now as a Catholic. Without even knowing it, I’ve been searching for the Sacraments all my life.

7

Today is the traditional Feast of the Epiphany - even though the U.S. Church won’t celebrate it until Sunday. Go have some King Cake, and if you have kids, help the Wise Men leave a treat for them! (We got our first King Cake of the season here - our next one will come from here. My mom got hers here.)

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Blessings and Happy Friday Three Kings Day!

Lisa

For more Quick Takes, stop by to visit Conversion Diary!

Whew!

This morning, I met with the teacher I'm replacing, and she doesn't need me to start until the day we originally planned. Today still is probably her last day, but she'll have a sub in the rest of the week to do test reviews and the tests, and she already had a sub set up for next week. The lady working next week is a retired Algebra teacher and can handle all the real lessons when they start back up. I'm so relieved that I can't stand it! Yeah!

Music MeMe - College Edition

It was so much fun the first time that I had to do it again. Same rules apply--see the earlier post.

This time my grad year was 1993, and I was starting to mature into someone a bit more musically interesting.

1. I Will Always Love You, Whitney Houston
2. Whoomp! (There It Is), Tag Team
3. Can't Help Falling In Love, UB40
4. That's The Way Love Goes, Janet Jackson
5. Freak, Silk
6. Weak, SWV
7. If I Ever Fall In Love, Shai
8. Dreamlover, Mariah Carey
9. Rump Shaker, Wreckx-N-Effect
10. Informer, Snow
11. Nuthin' But A "G" Thang, Dr. Dre
12. In The Still Of The Nite, Boyz II Men
13. Don't Walk Away, Jade
14. Knockin' Da Boots, H-Town
15. Lately, Jodeci
16. Dazzey Duks, Duice
17. Show Me Love, Robin S.
18. A Whole New World, Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle
19. If, Janet Jackson
20. I'm So Into You, SWV
21. Love Is, Vanessa Willlams and Brian Mcknight
22. Runaway Train, Soul Asylum
23. I'll Never Get Over You (Getting Over Me),
25. Rhythm Is A Dancer, Snap
26. The River Of Dreams, Billy Joel
27. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles), Proclaimers
28. Two Princes, Spin Doctors
29. Right Here (Human Nature)-Downtown, SWV
30. I Have Nothing, Whitney Houston
31. Mr. Wendal, Arrested Development
32. Have I Told You Lately, Rod Stewart
33. Saving Forever For You, Shanice
34. Ordinary World, Duran Duran
35. If I Had No Loot, Tony! Toni! Tone!
36. I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That), Meat Loaf
37. Slam, Onyx
38. Looking Through Patient Eyes, P.M. Dawn
39. I'm Every Woman, Whitney Houston
40. Baby I'm Yours, Shai
41. Come Undone, Duran Duran
42. I Don't Wanna Fight, Tina Turner
43. I'd Die Without You, P.M. Dawn
44. Whoot, There It Is, 95 South
45. Hip Hop Hooray, Naughty By Nature
46. Another Sad Love Song, Toni Braxton
47. Will You Be There, Michael Jackson
48. Comforter, Shil
49. Good Enough, Bobby Brown
50. What's Up, 4 Non Blondes
51. All That She Wants, Ace Of Base
52. 7, Prince and The New Power Generation
53. Dre Day, Dr. Dre
54. One Last Cry, Brian McKnight
55. Just Kickin' It, Xscape
56. I Get Around, 2Pac
57. Bed Of Roses, Bon Jovi
58. Real Love, Mary J. Blige
59. Here We Go Again!, Portrait
60. Cryin', Aerosmith
61. Cats In The Cradle, Ugly Kid Joe
62. What About Your Friends, TLC
63. I Got A Man, Positive K
64. Hey Mr. D.J., Zhane
65. Insane In The Brain, Cypress Hill
66. Deeper And Deeper, Madonna
67. Rain, Madonna
68. The Right Kind Of Love, Jeremy Jordan
69. Bad Boys, Inner Circle
70. That's What Love Can Do, Boy Krazy
71. Do You Believe In Us, Jon Secada
72. Angel, Jon Secada
73. Forever In Love, Kenny G
74. Again, Janet Jackson
75. Boom! Shake The Room, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince
76. When She Cries, Restless Heart
77. Sweat (A La La La La Long), Inner Circle
78. It Was A Good Day, Ice Cube
79. More And More, Captain Hollywood Project
80. How Do You Talk To An Angel, Heights
81. Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat), Digable Planets
82. What Is Love, Haddaway
83. To Love Somebody, Michael Bolton
84. Give It Up, Turn It Loose, En Vogue
85. Alright, Kris Kross
86. Check Yo Self, Ice Cube
87. Fields Of Gold, Sting
88. Ooh Child, Dino
89. Faithful w/ Go West
90. Reason To Believe, Rod Stewart
91. Break It Down Again, Tears For Fears
92. Nothin' My Love Can't Fix, Joey Lawrence
93. Three Little Pigs, Green Jelly
94. Livin' On The Edge, Aerosmith
95. Hey Jealousy, Gin Blossoms
96. If I Ever Lose My Faith In You, Sting
97. Anniversary, Tony! Toni! Tone!
98. One Woman, Jade
99. Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Taylor Dayne
100. Two Steps Behind, Def Leppard

Music MeMe - High School Edition

I stole this from the world-famous Adminnie when I saw it on her blog.

Here's the deal.

The rules:
A.) Go to musicoutfitters.com
B.) Enter the year you graduated from high school in the search function and get the list of 100 most popular songs of that year
C.) Bold the songs you like, strike through the ones you hate

I graduated in 1989, and apparently, I was a bubble gum pop princess--forgive my youthful indiscretions.

1. Look Away, Chicago
2. My Prerogative, Bobby Brown
3. Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Poison
4. Straight Up, Paula Abdul
5. Miss You Much, Janet Jackson
6. Cold Hearted, Paula Abdul
7. Wind Beneath My Wings, Bette Midler
8. Girl You Know Its True, Milli Vanilli
9. Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird, Will To Power
10. Giving You The Best That I Got, Anita Baker
11. Right Here Waiting, Richard Marx
12. Waiting For A Star To Fall, Boy Meets Girl
13. Lost In Your Eyes, Debbie Gibson
14. Don't Wanna Lose You, Gloria Estefan
15. Heaven, Warrant
16. Girl I'm Gonna Miss You, Milli Vanilli
17. The Look, Roxette
18. She Drives Me Crazy, Fine Young Cannibals
19. On Our Own, Bobby Brown
20. Two Hearts, Phil Collins
21. Blame It On The Rain, Milli Vanilli
22. Listen To Your Heart, Roxette
23. I'll Be There For You, Bon Jovi
24. If You Don't Know Me By Now, Simply Red
25. Like A Prayer, Madonna
26. I'll Be Loving You (Forever), New Kids On The Block
27. How Can I Fall?, Breathe
28. Baby Don't Forget My Number, Milli Vanilli
29. Toy Solider, Martika
30. Forever Your Girl, Paula Abdul
31. The Living Years, Mike + the Mechanics
32. Eternal Flame, The Bangles
33. Wild Thing, Tone Loc
34. When I See You Smile, Bad English
35. If I Could Turn Back Time, Cher
36. Buffalo Stance, Neneh Cherry
37. When I'm With You, Sheriff
38. Don't Rush Me, Taylor Dayne
39. Born To Be My Baby, Bon Jovi
40. Good Thing, Fine Young Cannibals
41. The Lover In Me, Sheena Easton
42. Bust A Move, Young M.C.
43. Once Bitten, Twice Shy, Great White
44. Batdance, Prince
45. Rock On, Michael Damian
46. Real Lov, Jody Watley
47. Love Shack, B-52's
48. Every Little Step, Bobby Brown
49. Hangin' Tough, New Kids On The Block
50. My Heart Can't Tell You No, Rod Stewart
51. So Alive, Love and Rockets
52. You Got It (The Right Stuff), New Kids On The Block
53. Armageddon It, Def Leppard
54. Satisfied, Richard Marx
55. Express Yourself, Madonna
56. I Like It, Dino
57. Soldier Of Love, Donny Osmond
58. Sowing The Seeds Of Love, Tears For Fears
59. Cherish, Madonna
60. When The Children Cry, White Lion
61. 18 And Life, Skid Row
62. I Don't Want Your Love, Duran Duran
63. Second Chances, .38 Special
64. The Way You Love Me, Karyn White
65. Funky Cold Medina, Tone Loc
66. In Your Room, Bangles
67. Miss You Like Crazy, Natalie Cole
68. Love Song, Cure
69. Secret Rendesvous, Karyn White
70. Angel Eyes, Jeff Healey Band
71. Patience, Guns N' Roses
72. Walk On Water, Eddie Money
73. Cover Girl, New Kids On The Block
74. Welcom To The Jungle, Guns N' Roses
75. Shower Me With Your Love, Surface
76. Stand, R.E.M.
77. Close My Eyes Forever, Lita Ford
78. All This Time, Tiffany
79. After All, Cher and Peter Cetera
80. Roni, Bobby Brown
81. Love In An Elevator, Aerosmith
82. Lay Your Hands On Me, Bon Jovi
83. This Promise, When In Rome
84. What I Am, Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians
85. I Remember Holding You, Boys Club
86. Paradise City, Guns N' Roses
87. Iwanna Have Some Fun, Samantha Fox
88. She Wants To Dance With Me, Rick Astley
89. Dreamin', Vanessa Williams
90. It's No Crime, Babyface
91. Poison, Alice Cooper
92. This Time I Know It's For Real, Donna Summer
93. Smooth Criminal, Michael Jackson
94. Heavan Help Me, Deon Estus
95. Rock Wit'cha, Bobby Brown
96. Thinking Of You, Sa-fire
97. What You Don't Know, Expose
98. Surrender To Me, Ann Wilson and Robin Zander
99. The End Of The Innocence, Don Henley
100. Keep On Movin', Soul II Soul

Getting Crazier...

It looks like my return to work could come much sooner than the first week of November. The doctor wants to put the lady I'm replacing on home rest immediately (really last Thursday) until the baby is born. She calmly explained that she has no sub ready to go (my orientation class is still scheduled for the 29th), and she swore she would spend her days teaching from her chair until I could work. She's being re-evaluated today. I'm hoping he will allow her to stay as long as possible because she wants to stay as late as she can--that and I really want to go on Moose's field trip on Friday. The sub-school principals is trying to get me into this week's class if possible, but they may end up covering the class with other subs until I can get in there. None of us like that option, because it will just be a huge mess!

In other news, my baseline mammo wasn't weird because I breathed. I, like about 30% of women in my age range, have benign cysts that showed up. Their presence was confirmed by ultrasound. The good news is that they don't increase my breast cancer risk. I do, however, get to have yet another mammo in the spring. Yippee.

I finally finished the Hogwarts scarves for Moose and Roo, and there are still no pictures here or on Ravelry. I continue to be incrediby lax in posting pictures of FOs. The two pairs of socks are still in progress, and going nowhere fast. With all the tension about the return to work, I can't seem to concentrate on anything these days. I did pull out a skein of Cascade 220 Superwash and start a swatch (i.e. sleeve) for a sweater I saw in IK Fall 2008. I'm under no illusions that it will go anywhere at all...

Life at Full Speed

So just when I thought I could relax, I get an offer to return to teaching as a long-term sub in an Algebra class at our daughter's school. It's a dream opportunity. The teacher is part of the GT Center team, so I get all her little geniuses. For a middle school, it means the kids, on average, will be a bit better behaved than the rest of the crowd. They are also 7th graders, and I find that tends to give them a bit less attitude--they're still scared of their new, big, bad building--than the 8th graders. Now we just need to get a sitter for Moose for the mornings before he has to catch his bus. I also have to jump through the bureaucratic hoops over at the district offices to get my sub badge and pay account set up. I love that I'm suposed to start the first week of November, and they can't squeeze me in for an orientation class until Oct. 29...

On top of all that, I finally scheduled my last two tests to get my new state license. One is on the afternoon of the 15th, which means I have to find some alternate way of getting the kids to piano. The other is on the afternoon of Nov. 1st, which means I sacrifice yet another Saturday to the demands of the educational field.

Then there are the piano lessons, getting Moose and his bass to school and home every Friday, the orthodontist, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, youth group, church commitments, volunteering at school, and Bible study. Whoever said stay-at-home moms don't work really needs to spend about a month in the shoes of one of us.

And just one more thing makes all this a bit crazy--radiology called to re-do my baseline mammogram. Fun. Turns out when they say don't move and don't even breathe during the x-ray, they really mean it. I specifically remember breathing during the shot they want to re-do. Now I feel really stupid for having to drag out to the hospital for another two hours just because I can't follow directions...

I'm knitting like crazy on the kids' Hogwarts scarves for Halloween. Roo's is done except for the fringe, and I'm about a third of the way done knitting the one for Moose. I also have two pairs of socks--one is my design from the workshop, the other is plain vanilla--on the needles, and my Pi shawl is languishing in hibernation.

None of this inspires me though, and I really, really just want to knit a sweater. If I get the scarf done, I might have time to cast on for a sweater before I have to go back to work. I think it might be time to peruse the Ravelry queue to see what will work up fast and scratch the sweater itch. What to do, what to do...

Sock Designer in Training

I went to my sock design workshop with Cookie A on Sunday, and I was stunned and amazed at how her mind works. She thinks of every possible detail you can add to a sock and accounts for it during the design process. Her thought process is very logical and mathematical, and I totally relate to it.

I already had a design somewhat in mind when I showed up for the class on Sunday. I just had to finish sketching it out and to finalize some details. Cookie A showed us how to make our ribbing feed into our design's setup, how to account for cabling and lace patterns, how to use hidden increases and decreases as part of our sock "architecture" so they blend with the design, and how to make the heels fit our sock's design. I can't think of a single detail she left out, and I am still in awe of her skills and talent. I want to be Cookie A when I grow up!

Cookie A was a treat to meet. She was kind, considerate, and highly encouraging. She even made the greatest suggestions about how to improve our designs if they weren't working out the way we wanted. If you ever have a chance to take a workshop with her, I highly recommend it.

Nature's Yarns, as always, was a fabulous place to be. The owners were great hostesses and made sure we all felt at home throughout the day. I even picked up some laceweight for Mystery Stole 4--now I just need beads--and some Euroflax to work up some Monteagle bags from Mason-Dixon.

My biggest prizes of the day? Three new patterns from Cookie A. I picked up Ornette, Twisted Flower, and Marilinda to go with Stricken and Mingus which were already hiding in the stash. I foresee much sock knitting pleasure in my future!

As for my design, you'll just have to wait and see it. It's cable-intensive, and I am mesmerized by it. I must have been positively affected by Cookie A's brain waves...

Okay, So I Lied...

...but it was unintentional. I didn't get my Ravelympics pictures posted here, but they are in my Ravelry notebook. I visited the finish line board to post my finishing stats, and it was locked down, and I wasn't allowed to post. I found it highly annoying, because I was just able to post Roo's stats on her board. I complained to the site about the WIPS wrestling board being closed, and I have never gotten an answer. It's probably why I haven't been on Ravelry at all lately except to update some project info. I just want my medals from Bobicus! :)

I'm in the midst of a big (for me) Halloween knitting project. I never knit for All Hallows Eve which is why it seems big. The kids are posing as Hogwarts students again this year since we moved away from all their old friends, and to keep things interesting I agreed to knit them Hogwarts scarves. Roo wants the scarf from Sorcerer's Stone, and Moose wants the one from Prisoner of Azkaban. Roo aka Victoria Ballycastle is a Ravenclaw, and Moose aka Adrian Vablatsky is a Gryffindor. I picked up all the necessary Utopia yarn at Patternworks for under $50, shipping included. That's much less than what brand new costumes would have cost!

I have found that even knitting the scarf on US size 7 needles instead of the size 8 called for in the pattern is leaving me a bit short of yarn if the kids want fringe (and they do). I've narrowed the scarf a bit by only casting on 60 stitches instead of 70, and this appears to be working for the moment. I even used Judy's magic cast-on for the end of Roo's so the cast-on edge appears to be invisible. I'll just graft the other end before attaching the fringe once I get there.

My next big, exciting knitting event is a sock design workshop with Cookie A at Nature's Yarns. I can't wait for the big day!

A Husband's Knitting MeMe

So I was over at JessaLu's, and I lifted another meme from her blog. I couldn't resist finding out what the DCA's answers would be. I sent this to him while he was out of town for the OU-Cincy game (Go Sooners!), and he kindly sent it back before he returned home.

HG: What is your favorite thing about my knitting?
DCA: The love you put into each product.

HG: What is your least favorite thing about my knitting?
DCA: Obsessive compulsive frogging =)

HG: What is something I have knitted that you recall as being good?
DCA: An awesomely warm Sooner (Crimson and Cream colored) blanket.

HG: Do you think knitters have an expensive hobby?
DCA: Only if you consider the raw materials alone and not what a hand crafted product of awesome quality would cost if you bought it in a finished state.

HG: Do you have any hobbies?
DCA: Yes

HG: What are your hobbies?
DCA: Record collecting

HG: So, if we compared money/time spent on hobbies, who would win?
DCA: For the past seven years, the knitting would...

HG: Do you have a stash of any kind?
DCA: Only if copious amounts of vinyl count...

HG: Has my knitting in public ever embarrassed you?
DCA: No...

HG: Can you name another knitting blog?
DCA: Scout's Swag, The Loopy Ewe...

HG: Do you mind that I want to check out yarn stores everywhere we go?
DCA: No, I even aided and abetted a stop in Old Town Alexandria not that long ago...

HG: Do you understand the importance of a swatch?
DCA: Vaguely...

HG: Do you read A Tale of Two Needles?
DCA: Yes... I even occasionally feed the Llama... (ed.'s note: check the sidebar!)

HG: Have you ever left a comment?
DCA: Yes

HG: Do you think the house would be cleaner if I didn’t knit?
DCA: No... there would likely be more scrap booking scraps around =)

HG: Is there anything else you want to say?
DCA: I Love my compulsive knitter!

Thanks, DCA, for playing along!

Roo's Pocket

This is Roo's finished object for Ravelympics 2008. I'll post mine in a little bit...

Summer Is Winding Down...

...and maybe I'll get better about blogging...or not... I'm just too busy over on Ravelry and Facebook.

We just got home from our summer vacation to the Great Smoky Mountains. I posted a couple of albums over on Facebook to show everything we did. I also took my Loopy postcard from The Loopy Ewe along, and he has his very own album of just a sampling of the things he saw.

My main update for now is that I successfully finished my Ravelympics 2008 projects. I put the Ocean Waves Wrap, Marmee's Feather and Fan Comfort Shawl, and the DCA's blanket to bed for good. I am so glad to have them behind me so I can concentrate on just the couple of projects I have on the needles. I also managed to sneak a Do the Wave scarf in during Ravelympics.

Mom's last set of post-surgical tests came in with fabulous results. The cancer recurrence prediction test she had contained the lowest number her oncologist had ever seen! The oncologist considers Mom cancer-free for now, and she'll just be monitored every six months for the next few years to really make sure there is no recurrence. Praise God for answered prayers.

We're getting ready for school around here. It's the kids' last week of freedom. We should learn who Moose's new teachers will be on Tuesday. The Roo will get her class schedule on Friday when she goes to new student orientation. I think I'll check in with them to see what they want to do this week as a last hurrah before they head back. There was some mention earlier about living in pajamas one day this week and watching all six Star Wars movies in a row. I have a feeling I'll be in a popcorn-induced coma in a couple of days!

I'm Addicted to Facebook...

I just signed up for an account to help keep track of all the family, and it's just like the first few days of Ravelry. You just get sucked in looking at all the features and reading about all your friends.

It doesn't help when your best friend from college is addicted to the same word games as you, and you just want to sit and play instead of doing something constructive...

Update!

Mom had her surgery on the 15th. Everything went beautifully, and the pathology results show there is no cancer remaining. No radiation! Yippee! The next milestone is the last test result on Aug. 14 which will indicate her likelihood of recurrence and her need for preventive chemotherapy. We're praying for a super-low number, which the doctors think is very likely.

To God be the glory!

June was...

hellish, in a word. For example,

• we lost power for 36 hours, including my entire birthday,
• my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer,
• I had to spend 10 days in Florida caring for my completely bedridden grandmother, and
• I spent way too much time away from the DCA and kids.

The DCA bought me two new skeins of Socks that Rock among many other way cool birthday presents, so that was a nice highlight of my day.

I finished a bunch of projects, and all the details are over on Ravelry. I just lost track of what got started and finished during the month.

The summer can only get better from here!

The Sock Is Sad

Anyone who knows me also knows that I don't go anywhere without my current sock project. I'm a Yarn Harlot disciple in this respect. Unfortunately, the sock was not allowed to accompany me on my latest adventure yesterday because all large handbags were banned when I went to...wait for it...the White House!*

It’s National Military Family Appreciation Month, and this Friday (May 9th) is Military Spouse Day. In honor of the event, military spouses from around the country received invitations to the White House to hear President Bush speak about military families and to honor six volunteers who have done great works on behalf of military members and their families. Go read the President’s remarks.

I rode in to work with the DCA yesterday, and his mom came over to make sure the kids made it on to the school bus. When we got to his office, we found out that one of the ladies who works for the admiral was also going. She and some other wives from the Navy Yard were riding in a van provided by the Commandant of Naval District Washington, so she invited me to ride along with them so the DCA wouldn’t have to leave work to drop me off.

We rode in the van from the base over to the Southeast Entrance to the White House grounds. We had to stand in line for quite a while so the Secret Service could check IDs, and we weren’t allowed to take in any large bags, suitcases, or backpacks. We were allowed to have small camera cases and clutch-type purses only. After we made it through the first gate, we had to go through metal detectors, get scanned with the wand if we “beeped”, and have our little bags searched. It was kind of like going to the airport!

Once inside, we found they had set up a buffet breakfast on the South Lawn for all 1100 of us. There was fresh fruit with a light caramel sauce, ham empanadas with cheese sauce, at least 8 different types of handmade pastries, and biscuits with blueberry jam. They were also serving fresh-squeezed OJ, cranberry juice, and coffee. There were lots of picnic tables with red checkered tablecloths all over the lawn. We weren’t able to get seats because we were some of the last to arrive, but while we stood to eat, we had a fabulous view of the south side of the White House (the curvy side), and we could see all the way down to the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial.

Because we didn’t have a table, we scooted up close to the stage area on one side near the guard rope. We were told we could stay there as long as we weren’t blocking the view of the people seated at the tables. We got an even better view of the White House from this angle, and we could see the podium where the President was supposed to speak and to introduce the volunteers.

The Marine Corps Band played while we waited and in between the speakers. The first person to speak was the Secretary of Defense, and he welcomed us and thanked us for coming out. Then singer-songwriter Phil Vassar sang the National Anthem. Shortly after 10 a.m., the President began his address. When he had finished, he and the volunteers moved to a special picnic table near the stage we were standing by to watch Vassar sing 3 more songs--Love Is A Beautiful Thing (in honor of Jenna Bush’s wedding this Saturday), I’m Alright (in which he required audience participation), and American Child. After the singing, President Bush greeted the people along the roped off edge of the stage, and I got to shake his hand! (My one brush with fame!)

As we were getting ready to leave, someone announced over the loudspeaker that we were invited to tour the White House starting in the East Garden. This was a big surprise, because my emails about the event said there would be no tour. We entered the White House from the garden and walked down the Ground Floor Corridor that had artwork, a portrait of Hillary Clinton as First Lady, some of the White House china patterns, the Library, and the Vermeil Room. We couldn’t go in the rooms, but I could see a picture of Jacqueline Kennedy through the door of the Vermeil Room. We only walked about halfway down the corridor before we went upstairs. On the First Floor, we saw the East Room, the Green Room, the Blue Room, the Red Room, and the State Dining Room. We exited through the Entrance Hall of the north side of the White House (the flat side) onto Pennsylvania Avenue before we rode in the van back to the Navy Yard.

If you want to see what I saw, go to the White House tour web site. It’s a photo tour of the White House that includes a lot of history I didn't know! We apparently were very blessed today because someone said these rooms are no longer on the regular tour of the White House.

It was definitely worth the lost sock knitting time!

*My tatting is incredibly thrilled though, because it got to ride along in the tiny bag I was using as a camera case. It is now the happiest purple doily on the planet!

Distracted by Ravelry

Another addict is born! I've been spending most of my time over there when I'm not knitting instead of updating my blog like I should. So here's my latest...

I finally finished the crocheted baby blanket and turned it in. It's about time that I started racking up those volunteer hours again!

All of the log cabin blanket squares are finished, and their ends are all sewed in. I even sewed them into four strips of six squares each. That's when I got anxious. I need to sew the strips together, but I'm afraid I won't get the seams to line up correctly. I just need to "suck up and deal" as we used to say in NROTC and get on with the process.

I finished the Summer of Love lace socks after I had to rip them back to the cuff and re-finish them. I hate running out of yarn at the last minute. They look great, and they even have a tiny bit of room to allow for the inevitable shrinkage of being run through the washer on a cold, delicate cycle.

I'm in the middle of the DCA's pair of Jacobean socks. I'm over halfway done with the second sock, and I can't wait to be finished with it. It's a fun knit, but I really just want to be working on Lenore from Rockin' Sock Club 2007. After the Lenores are done, I'll be moving on to work on Moose's Snakes on a Sock.

I finally pulled my Mason-Dixon Perfect Sweater out of hibernation. I finished the back, and I'm almost ready to start the sleeve caps. I'm working both sleeves at once on a single circ to make sure they are exactly the same. I am definitely going to make this a habit for all future sweaters. I keep thinking that it's taking forever to do the sleeves, and then I remember that I'm almost done with both! Bonus!

I'm going to head back over to Ravelry now and finish reading all the threads I pulled up for today. How does anyone get anything done anymore with such a great site???

Don't Pass Out...

...from shock or anything since I'm posting after only 9 days.

The log cabin square project is moving right along. I'm up to 8 white squares and 7 red squares. I'm in the middle of square #16 now. There is going to be a ton of seaming on this one, but I'm weird--I actually like mattress stitch. I probably need my head examined.

The crocheted baby blanket is taking a while longer than I expected. When I was outside on Sunday, I noticed that the third skein I had used was a noticeably different dyelot than the other 4 that were in the blanket at that point. The DCA said not to worry about it because a baby won't care if it's different. I just put myself in the new mom's shoes--I would definitely have noticed, and I would have wondered why someone didn't care enough to match the yarn. Yes, on top of being insane (see above), I'm obsessive compulsive. I ripped it back to the end of the second skein, and I have just now gotten to skein #4. The finished blanket is supposed to be as close to 36" x 36" as possible so I have a ways to go.

I started sock #2 in the Summer of Love pair too. When I finished the socks for the DCA before Easter, I ran out of yarn just as I reached the second toe. I dug out some other grey yarn to finish the pair because he said he doesn't mind the mismatched toes. (I haven't woven in the ends yet, because I totally mind the mismatched toes. I'm still debating ripping out the first toe and doing it in the second grey yarn, so the socks match exactly. Sigh.) Since I ran out of yarn then, I'm starting to panic that I'm going to run out of yarn again on this pair. I should just hunker down with them for a few hours, crank out several inches, and realize that I'll be fine because it's Socks That Rock. I have to finish today's square first though.

I finally started putting some stuff up over at Ravelry--it's just my current WIPs. My username over there is hoyagirl. It's going to be a while before I get anything much posted because it's so time-consuming. I can see why so many people are abandoning their blogs in favor of the site. It really can be addictive! While I was there yesterday, I signed up for the pair-a-month sock challenge started by Kaity and her mom. I just couldn't resist, because I thought it would help me play catch-up with all the sock club yarn I have around here. Guess we'll have to wait and see! Come join the group too if you're looking for a little motivation.