Empty House

Not much going on here - this is so weird for me - an empty house! It's become very apparent that I can never retire! The combo of no one to feed, clean-up after, launder,etc and not enough paid and productive work is really a boring situation! Don't have a feeling for the latest job interview - It would be good challenging and interesting work. They will let me know later this week. Have submitted a few other applications - one for at-home work (Perfect) and another for within walking distance (great!). So we shall see.

I have been trying to do a few of those put-off chores. Am very pleased with this result.

I hung a new towel rack in the laundry room - just for my socks!! I've stopped putting them in the dryer (they seem to last longer and look nicer) and this will work really well.

I've been working at restoring my Great Grandmothers wicker rocker. I found a professional restorer and have been assisting (very little actually) her and tomorrow I will begin the repainting process. Pictures when complete.

Naturally now with all this time on my hands I could be putting the garden to bed. But as usual the weather changed over-night. It's blustery and cold today. Plus I discovered that the dog has been helping clean up the garden - she's been digging up the carrots! Loves 'em! I swear this tree was green yesterday!. We even have fresh snow on the mountains!

Of course I have been knitting! Started the baby sweater - Baby Norgi - I'm loving it of course. The colors aren't quite as mutted as this picture. It's really cute.

Also am making progress on the latest Forest Canopy Shawl. I really love the pattern - interesting enough to keep you thinking, but easy to memorize. I'm still not sure this is the best colorway - it is so 60's. But as Roxie suggested there may be additional embelishments that would help- beaded fringe maybe? We'll have to see I guess.

Hope everyone is enjoying the change in season, it really is a beautiful time of the year!

I was good!

Well...not exactly good - but maybe wise. I didn't spend my allocation! But actually that's because Woodland didn't have the Baby Ull I needed for my chosen project. So tomorrow I'll have to order it. It was definitly worth the drive to Carlton and then on to McMinnville to have a great lunch with my daughter. It isn't often that my sister and I get to spend a leisurely day together. The drive was beautiful through Oregon's lovely Willamette Valley.

But OFFF was great.....Met up with the PDXKnitbloggers and finally actually met in person Judy, karen, and Bobby. Roxie was there too - you should have seen her hat - adorned with a skein of lovely pink wool!

There was lots of interesting things to see, feel, pet....

As Roxie said - Blue Moon was a madhouse - so much so that I only snatched one thing. They were pretty low on stuff - even by 10:00 am and the booth was so crowded. I saw one fiend with at least 15 skeins in her arms!! OMG what a haul!

I must have been inspired by the Autumn - my color choices were definitely fall! STR for Socks. The Angora/Merino blend I'm thinking a scarf and fingerless gloves or maybe shawl - I have more. The "Brick" colorway from Pat Fly. I've sought her out before and she has great sock yarn....but this is for a Autumn Forest Canopy Shawl. I've got it started and am thinking it's a little 1950's grandma looking - but will get a little further before I decide. I also got a book of Christmas Stocking patterns - future reference!

All in all it was lots of fun, it was sort of overwhelming there were so many people. But it was a beautiful day! I drove home a different route rather than get on the freeway - it was beautiful. It was fun checking out little farming communities I've never been through. It's amazing you live in a place for over 50 years and haven't begun to see it all!

I had a great three day break - now tomorrow is a new job interview - I hate this stage!! But will go with confidence! Wish me luck!

Nothing to Show!

I have been trying to work out Backyard Leaves from Scarf Style - I am finally comfortable with reading and knitting the chart - i should be, as I've started it at least 10 times. Oh not with the same yarn mind you - that seems to be my problem. I bought something last winter -Jaeger Extra Fine Merino in a very pale pink - hated it - the yarn had no drape. So then I bought something else - KnitPicks Andean Silk in Lettuce. Love the yarn to knit with, drapes really well, super soft- but the pattern gets lost - not enough definition.....I give up. i did try different size needles - nothing satisfied me. Now I have to find something to do with these yarns. I investigated my stash recently and was appauled - I'm going to have to become a scarf diva - there are way too many choices. Not to mention sock yarn!

I did this on purpose (investigated) as you may remember I'm headed for the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival this weekend, as well as visits to some other yarn stores. Luckily I have a very short list - A)Baby Ull for baby gift sweater, B)Something for another Forest Canopy Shawl and if some great sock yarn finds its way into my bag - so be it!

Tomorrow is Molly's birthday (OMG!) and it is also National Talk Like a Pirate Day. AARGG...so she is having a Pirate Birthday party - mind you she is 23 years old. Her costume from Good Will is so perfect - a real wench! So mom will be leaving home so as not to inhibit the festivites. (this is my excuse to cruise for yarn stores!) I actually don't even want to be here. Luckily most participants are spending the night - way safer that way.

I guess I do have something to show - I picked as many as I could - am afraid of frost while I'm gone. But there are still many left to rippen - if they don't freeze while I'm gone I'll bring them in to get red in the window sills. Home grown tomatoes! (I actually am getting tired of them - can you imagine?)

I've been eating Eggplant, Zucchini, Corn, Green and Red peppers. The lettuce is mostly gone and I haven't dug the potatoes yet. I'm loving my garden. My Weight Watchers adventures loves it too - 1 1/2 pounds this week - not much but it's something. This next week being away from home will up the challenge...

Hope everyone is well!

Random Thought Thursday

There has been much knitting and cruising for patterns here - I haven't chosen a baby gift pattern yet - there are way too many choices. But am loving a few of the Dale of Norway outfits here. I've always wanted to do a Dale of Norway - so this is a good way to start. I spent Tuesday cruising our LYS's -Gossamer and Juniper Fiberworks. Picked up a few things, including Knitting Workshop. Even though I had already ordered the pattern for the Baby Surprise Jacket from Schoolhouse Press - I was too anxious to get started....as usual! So I started and ripped and started. I finally figured it out - but then saw Margene's comment on her post about matching decreases - makes perfect sense to me. So am considering ripping again and doing matching decreases - like for a raglan sleeve? I've got tons of stash to try this with so it's no big deal.

I also finished these socks while being discouraged at WW. I gained a friggin pound!!! I have not cheated, I have been below my points almost every day - have never used all of my bonus points...but am not drinking enough water and I struggle getting enough dairy and veggies every day....I just don't eat that much!! (But then why am I on this new regime?) But I will keep on trying. At the meeting there were three other knitters - cool!

Since I finished my WW socks - I'm back working on these...they are really wild. I seem to have a problem choosing a stitch pattern that is appropriate for the yarn....this is pretty busy. I just can't do plain jane socks. So in the future I'm going to only pick yarn that I have the correct pattern in mind.

Next week I'm trying to plan a mini yarn tour through the Willamette Valley. I've always wanted to go to Woodland Woolworks. It is only a few miles from where DD2 is going to school - so the plan was to go there first and then stop and take DD2 and roomie out to dinner and then head up to Portland. Do a few LYS's in Portland - including the latest - Twisted. I will stay with my Sister for a few days and attend a fund raising function for the Boys and Girls Aid organization that my mom was very involved in. Then on Saturday will be the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. I'm definitely meeting up with Roxie and hopefully Judy and any other knitbloggers I can find. I'm really looking forward to this trip - because it will be my last opportunity for awhile because.......DRUM ROLL

It looks like my long awaited job is going to happen. We received a change of opinion from the county legal department, a positive opinion from the judge in our suit against the State of Oregon and best off all - unanimous approval by the county! Of course we still have a two week appeal process - but it seems doubtful that anyone will appeal at this point - we have too strong a plan and a beautiful development that will be a huge asset to the community!! I'm tickled to say the least. I'm still going for an interview for another opportunity when I get back. You never know and I don't want to burn my bridges! But it looks like things are looking up and I am so glad - I am getting bored. I 've learned that I will have to really work at some kind of productive projects if I ever retire. You can't just knit all day!!

Hey Pat - did you see the Today show this morning? It was all about your favorite place!! My favorite place was second! OK - you win this one!

Oh Baby....Help!

Well it finally happened...there is a grandchild on the way in my group of friends (NO NOT MINE!) This is a pretty momentous event. Grandma and Grandpa (oh my gosh!) have been a great friends for years and her eldest daughter is expecting in February - so I have lots of time. But as is my way - I have spent the last 4 hours searching for the perfect baby sweater pattern...of course I've got Baby Surprise on its way. But am thinking something more heirloom like. Maybe in some Mission Falls colors with a Log Cabin Blanket from Mason Dixon Knitting to match? Don't know if it's a Boy or Girl - but don't want the traditional white, pink or blue - something more earthy I'm thinking. Babies like color!

I know I saw something in the last few months on someones blog that I really liked...colorful, interesting....and now I can't find if for the life of me. I'm also liking the Cardians for Clark and Lily from AlterKNITS

But this isn't quite baby enough. There are all those cute Dale of Norway patterns too.....I'm going to make a trip to the LYS and check patterns out - are they open on Sunday? Already went to the library - but someone else had beat me to all the knitting for baby books except for Knitting for Baby!

The trouble with today is I "Looked" at all my knitting books and magazines and the hundreds of pages I've printed off the net (You know - in case I forget where I saw it - there is just not enough time in my lifetime to knit all the things I liked- I had no idea I had so many sock patterns....what's going to happen when more Grandchildren come my way. Instead of looking a drooling I better get started knitting!

Harvest Time

Yum...a little rain in the High Desert does wonders! Veggies are so in for Weight Watchers!

Strolling through

These lovely gentlemen have been hanging out at the neighbors off and on the past few days. Neighbors came home one afternoon and didn't even notice them snoozing in their front yard. The bucks don't seem to be wary of much - they stayed put while cars were unloaded etc. Neighborhood pets?

Since finishing my Forest Canopy Shawl (Which I'm still in love with) have also finished one sock...am liking these too. I'm really liking the TOFUtsies sock yarn - it is really soft. As I think I mentioned before - the pattern is just like the now famous Monkey Socks - but I found it in my Barbara Walker book - wierd huh?

I also picked up the long lost Celtic Cardigan - I looked at the cuff of the sleeves and decided they are way too big - I'm going to next temporarily attach the sweater parts and try it on for size...it's felt big for awhile. The thought of frogging the whole thing is sad - but I'd not wear it, so better deal with it now!

The best news of the week - Five Pounds Lost- yea for me! Luckily at this time of the year eating lots of veggies is pretty simple - walk outside and pick. For some reason this year I have a bumper crop of Tomatoes - oh too bad! They are so good! Lots of salad fixings, beans, cucs, corn, eggplant, onions, carrots, zucchini, its fun.

Hope everyone is enjoying the wonderful fall weather - not too hot, but still warm and comfortable!!

Knit Peace

Hold on to your sticks

Can you believe it - I have a finished object!! The Forest Canopy Shawl. There are three things I really loved about this project - The pattern itself - and I thought I couldn't do lace. This was an easy 8 row repeat. I wish I'd done more repeats, I certainly had more yarn. I think I used about 450 yards of Blue Moon Seduction for 17 repeats. The pattern is written for sport weight and had 9 repeats, so I figured 17 was plenty with this weight yarn.

I also loved my addi Turbo Lace needles - they are wonderful. I will be getting more of these in the future for sure!

I'd been reading about blocking boards and the suggestion to use exercise mats - what a perfect idea. $15 at Target did the trick. These are wonderful wonderful wonderful!

I will definitly do this again - luckily I'm going to the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival later this month so will hunt for the perfect yarn. I'm sure I'll have trouble choosing!

Since summer is now officially over, this will be a week of job hunting, Weight Watchers management (Yea I'm doing good - I can feel it!) and I don't know what else.......Summer may be over but we are still in fire season and Redmond is totally smoked in from a small 3,200 acre lightening caused fire in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness. Black Butte Ranch (beautiful destination resort) is not far from Camp Sherman where I used to work, is only a mile from the fire - so they are under pre-evacuation. What a way to tie up the highway for the hordes of travelers trying to get back to the west side! Such is life in paradise - just glad I'm not driving, although daughter has to join the traffic to get back to school today.