Blog Guilt

I have major blog guilt lately. I seem to be SO busy - I'm trying to find out what's important, what needs to go, what to keep doing... how to find some extra hours in the day.

I barely have time to knit.... much less blog. I don't have time to think of bloggy stuff to write.

Something's gotta go, but it won't be my precious half hour or so of daily knitting time. But, since there's not so much knitting progress, the blogging may only happen once or twice a week. You'll stick with me, right?? :o)

So.... up there's the piddly little progress on Starsky. I'm just now starting the armhole decreases on the back.

And because I have such little knitting to show.... here are some cute kitty pictures. Why do they love to get as high as they can? Can you see the kitty in the picture with the stairs? Follow the hand rail up to the top - it points right to her. Do you think she knows how far down it is to the floor from there??

A cat's life.... lying around all day. If they had opposable thumbs and could knit - I'd sign up to be a cat.

So Confused, still

I never know which direction to go.

When I'm cruising the mall, when I come out of a store I can't figured out which direction we're going.

When I look at any bed other than my own, I don't know which side I sleep on.

I ALWAYS park in the same section at the mall, or the grocery store. I don't want to have to wonder if I'm in the right section. I don't want to play the "I forgot where I parked my car" game - and I even have a fairly recognizable car.

I'm constantly confused by direction, and directions, with my knitting. The other day I picked up my sleeve in mid row to carry on. It looked like this when I picked it up. It took me a second to figure out what to do. I even asked Kaity to double check, "Kaity.... when you're just knitting plain stockinette, flat, should your yarn be coming off you left or right needle." She looked at me like I'd grown another head and said, "Mom! - you can't be serious - how LONG have you been knitting!" (She was only that annoyed with me because last week I had to have her explain to me again how to knit ribbing flat, because I'm used to doing it in the round.... purl the knits?? purl the purls?? I swear this should make sense to me by now, but I still get confused.)

Later in the week my sister, who's a new knitter, called and asked me the same question, but she has an excuse - she's brand new at this. Me - I should know better, but I panicked a little and had to check with Kaity after I got off the phone to make sure I gave her the right answer. It's a wonder I can actually make anything. (Note To Sis: You should probably just ask for Kaity when you call with knitting questions - I can't be trusted. You've seen me at the mall.)

Seriously, this confuses me - this sense of direction thing. I have none. My most common knitting mistake is picking up my knitting mid row and knitting the wrong direction. It's possible. I'm not sure how, but it is - I know... I do it quite often. I NEVER put down my knitting in mid-row unless it's an emergency. I'm the queen of "let me just finish this row."

My cable and lace patterns always have my extra "directions" written on them. With arrows.

Wrong side... read chart this way ------->
Right side... read chart this way <-------- I can't tell you how many rows I've frogged because I read the chart backwards. Every new project.... every new chart. I have to stop, figure it out, ask Kaity if I've got it right, and write it on my pattern - like I've never seen a knitting chart before.
This picture - it's taken on my way to church this morning. Thank God for having Christ in my life.... at least with Him, I always know which way I'm going.

BIG News!!

If you haven't seen it already - my dear daugher, Kaity has some VERY EXCITING news!

I don't want to steal her thunder.... so hop on over to her blog and check it out!

I'm so proud!

Never Say Never?

Is there some perfect knitted item you want badly, and keep coming back to, thinking about, but will never knit - and why?

When I peruse the magazines and blogs, I run across a lot of patterns - we all do, and what is it that makes something appeal to you? Or not?

Sometimes it's just an obvious like or dislike. Some things just don't appeal to me. But, besides the obvious "I don't like that," what influences what I decide to knit?

Many times I love something, but it's just not right for my body type. Sometimes it's cost prohibitive. Sometimes I have to admit it's no longer age-appropriate. Sometimes I have to admit I would never have an occasion to wear it.

What is the one thing you want to knit SO badly, but never will..... and why.

Here's mine. I LOVE this. So much. I obsess over how much I wish I could knit this Saffron Cables afghan, in the Fall 2006 IK. This speaks to me on every level. I would cuddle up in this ever night on the couch. I would make it out of something unbelievably soft. It is just gorgeous.
Why will I never knit it? I would never finish it. I can take on a big project, but this is too big. It would take too much time. I would get too bored. I can't even imagine taking it on as a project I would just commit to spending years on, knitting it little by little. I would totally be the little kid kicking the back of the seat and asking "are we there yet?" every five minutes - and I'd also be the exasperated parent in the front seat saying, "if you ask me that ONE more time...!"

It's just not gonna happen. I have not been knitting long, but I have learned that I am a process knitter. I need to see an FO within a reasonable period of time. I get bored easily.

So, what is the one thing you really wish you could, or would knit, but know you never will? Or is it just me?

Imaginary men - real sleeves....real LONG sleeves...

Starsky and I are stuck on Sleeve Island. Ok - back in high school, that totally would have made me swoon. I was totally into Starsky and Hutch. That was back in the day when my buddy Linda and I cruised Main Street every Friday and pretended we were "oh so cool" in her Camaro. Looking back on it - her Camaro was probably the coolest thing about us.....

But we did go gaga over Starsky and Hutch. I liked Starsky, my friend Debby liked Hutch, so that worked out for us. Linda - who was your favorite? - I don't remember now. But, remember how, back in high school, we were just SURE that if we met them somehow... they'd fall for us. I was quite sure of the same with David Cassidy or Bobby Sherman.

But now, well, I'm sad to say (after I've totally dated myself again), here on Sleeve Island, Starsky's not the man I dreamed he'd be. He's really not doing it for me. He's a little boring, I'm surprised to say. He's not entertaining me, he's not fanning me with big ol' palm leaves, or bringing me daiquiris. I guess Starsky's probably a little out of his element on an island, though. Island life is probably a little slow after all the crime and thrills of Bay City.

I know what would work - someone should design a Magnum PI sweater. I'm quite sure I'd knit that.... and I KNOW Magnum could handle the Sleeve Island thing.

But, that's okay - Starsky wouldn't be my first choice any more for my one guy to get stuck on a deserted island with, or even Magnum. That honor goes to my Johnny Depp, well, assuming the hubby can't make the trip.

I gotta say - I won't be stuck on Sleeve Island very long, Starsky's fast. And, although that's great for knitting sleeves, I'm not sure that's what you really want from a man.

Besides.... I'm thinking I'll escape from Sleeve Island tomorrow night while I'm watching my new favorite hunky guy.... McDreamy. He can pinch hit for Johnny on a Thursday night. Mmmmmm...

Guess I'm fickle.

I should move on.

See that purse in the magazine - I.Want.That. I am going to knit that. I love that purse. I have it in the Holiday issue of IK - but it's been published before, somewhere. I will make it happen - after Christmas probably. While I'm already galavanting everywhere with Starsky. After I've knit the other things I've started.... and the two other projects I already have yarn for.

Then. There's no hurry.... it'll wait for me. But I will knit it.

California Spoiled

We spent a beautiful weekend at the beach - we are so spoiled here in California!

From where we live in Southern California, literally, within a 2 to 3 hour drive we can be at the beach, in the mountains, or in the desert, like last weekend. This is also why we have the typical California collection in our garage - bikes, wetsuits and boogie boards, backpacks, motorcycles, ski's, etc.... we can pretty much pick a sport and go wherever we need to be - like I said, in just a matter of a few hours, if that.

The weather doesn't even factor in too much. Okay to - to snow ski, you do have to wait for winter, but that's about it.

THIS is why Californians put up with all the other California stuff. If you like the outdoors, this is the place to be. This weekend, the beach was the place to be.

The forecast even called for rain, but we only got a few showers the first night.... and the clouds made for beautiful skies and sunsets. The days were warm enough for the kids to play in the surf, and the nights were chilly enough to sit by a campfire and wear my Rogue. We drove a couple of miles from our campsite to Malibu for fish and chips for lunch.... all that's hard to beat.

What's this last picture? - Could it be? Me, holding my Starksy sleeves? In a wetsuit? I tell ya - even I didn't see this one coming. Never in a million years. But, in an effort to get that little ladybug up top moving again, my friend and I have been swimming laps three mornings a week, and it's getting a little chilly in the mornings now. When it's only 50 degrees in the morning, and the water is 68 - that's TOO cold for this California wimp.... so we figured if we were going to keep this up - we would need wetsuits.

Yes - they work.... the jury is still out on whether it's worth the chuckles and looks we get from our families..., but we should be able to swim through the winter now.

I do have to say.... I did have a slight panic moment in the Sports Chalet dressing room, trying on the wetsuit, having no idea what size to buy, and hoping I wouldn't get myself stuck in the stupid thing and have to ask the hunky guy for help. Wouldn't that have made his day!?- helping a overweight 40-something year old woman who's stuck in a wetsuit. I can just hear it - "ya know lady, -you're buying that..." Happy to say, I managed all by myself - thank you very much.

My friend's story is better - she almost ventured out of the dressing room to ask the guy if her suit was the right size.... but she decided against it. Later, she was REALLY glad she hadn't, when her husband informed her she had it on backwards!

Still Fabulous

Check it out - on the left, Fair Isle: 4 weeks of knitting = 12 inches.

On the right... Starsky: 4 days of knitting = 12 inches.

This is why Starsky is turning out to be the perfect take-a-break project. Fast Knit. Gotta love that.

I decided to cast on for Starsky when I was leafing through this month's InStyle and noticed all the long belted sweaters - I figured I'd better get to knittin' if I was gonna get it done in time to wear it while it was still "In Style."

I figured Fair Isle is classic - no time frame on that knit - no hurry. Then, what do I see in the latest issue of Lucky? Nordic is in.

Oy, the pressure - no wonder it's been 30 years since I was voted "best dressed." I can't keep up.

Seriously - why do I love InStyle magazine SO much? Why do I care? I have nothing in common with these women. I'm 30 years older and at least 30 lbs heavier than what they try to pass off as "normal." Why, why...

Motorcycle riding, reading the fashion magazines, being afraid to wear the poncho I knit last year - trying to knit what's "in." I'm thinking it's my vain, hopeless struggle to fight age.

There's nothing worse than a woman obviously trying to act far younger than her years - I MUST spare myself that.

Age - I'm not fighting it. I'm okay - hey, I'm more than okay. I'm working on the pounds, and I'm knitting what I like - and if it just happens to be "In Style" - well, then what a happy coincidence.

You know me.... still fabulous in my own mind.

Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do

Look what I did this weekend, for the first time in 25 years!

Both the hubby and I grew up riding motorcycles in the desert with our families. We didn't know each other as kids - but when we started dating we found out we probably spent some of the same Easters and Thanksgivings in the same desert, riding motorcycles.

Since we've been married- it's something we never really got back in to. The hubby switched to mountain bikes, and I was busy raising kids... but recently he got back into it, and got a motorcycle for The Bud, and minibikes for Lilly and whoever wants to putt around.

Here's me on The Bud's motorcycle. Okay - technically this picture is not of me... but I was on the same bike in the same helmet...etc. Believe me, just sitting there you wouldn't be able to tell the difference, except for a few of my curls maybe escaping out the back of the helmet - so make believe it's me. Once you get the "Power Ranger" suit on - well, everyone looks the same.

I just went on a short ride and took the little kids, so I wasn't out there tearing up the desert with the big dogs - but man, it's scary how fun it is and how it all comes back to you. Fun, fun. Kind of like reliving your childhood.

The kids were not so sure about it. The hubby was off on a ride of his own, and when I asked The Bud if I could borrow his bike and gear, he said "Uhhhh, I guess so. Do you think it's okay with Dad?" The girls said, "Mom, do you know what you're doing? How long has it been since you've ridden a motorcycle."

Pshh.... 25 years - what's you point? Hand over the gear and start the bike for me.

FUN!


Look what else I did this weekend - started Starsky! Yeah - I know, three projects on the needles? So, what's your point? I learned from the best - I blame you all!

I told Kaity maybe I'd knit it as a "stealth project" and not even show you all until it was finished. But that's gonna take too long - and I don't think I have any more hidden talents, like motorcycle riding, to fill the blog time, so you can watch me juggle my projects instead.

Help Bring Christmas, One At A Time

This is something I've never done on my blog, but please indulge me as I ask for some help, to bring Christmas to those less fortunate.

Would you like to knit something small, that would be of GREAT help?

My dearest friend, Marion, and her husband Ken have been ministering and to the homeless on Los Angeles' Skid Row for about four years now. At first, it was just Ken, going down once a week with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches they had made at home, handing them out, and preaching the gospel to anyone who wanted to listen.

Their ministry has lead to One At A Time Ministries, a storefront church in the Ford Hotel in the middle of the most desperate part of the city, where they hold services every Sunday, and Bible studies during the week.

Skid Row in Los Angeles is the epitome of homeless life in America. It is a dangerous place, filled with drugs, gangs, prostitution, and crime... yet the Lord has placed an enormous desire in Ken's heart to reach out to those who are the most lost... It has been his calling to bring the homeless of LA the gospel, the only truth that can give them hope of escaping the lives they are currently living. Men, women, and children, who cannot see any way out, any way to change, any way to better themselves, or the lives of their children. Ken and Marion are desperate to show them The Way.

Every week at my own Bible studies Marion gives us updates, and tells us what is happening in the lives of some we have come to know, and I have been feeling a desire for quite some time to help. It came to me the other day, that I can knit - I know lots of people who can knit.

I talked to Marion about my idea, of knitting small items that they could bring down and give away at Christmas. Maybe the only gift they receive this year. She was very excited and thought it was a great idea. She said one of the biggest obstacles for these men and women is that they don't believe God can love them.... they don't believe anyone can love them.

Receiving a gift of something new, knit just for them, would show love. It would be little, but it would be something.

Hats would be especially needed, but any small knitted items - gloves, wrist warmers, scarves, socks, etc, would be appreciated. Items are needed for men and women, and even children - all ages, all sizes.

If you would like to knit something, please send your knitted gift directly to Ken and Marion at:

One At A Time Ministries
c/0 Ken Holladay
1007 Village Square
Fillmore, CA 93015

If you'd like to help even more, please put a link on your blog, or give it a mention.

THANK YOU!

Stash Stress

I've got a serious case of stash stress. I KNEW if I stashed it would stress me out - but I just didn't think it would happen in this way!

Maybe it's project stress. See, I have the yarn for my four next projects, not counting the two on the needles now (....hmmm, did I forget to tell you I casted on for Sizzle? - you know, when I need a break from the Isle of Fair every once in awhile).

Never mind.... that's beside the point. The problem is, I'm totally a project knitter, not a process knitter. Otherwise, I'd just cast on for all of them and knit away, like some people I know (not naming names, you know who you are.... not that that's a bad thing...). But I want to wear all these things NOW. I want to knit them, I want them done, and I want to wear them. I do not have enough time to knit, and cannot knit fast enough to make myself happy in this regard.

Let's just check out the stash and projected projects: That beautiful blue variegated in the middle left stack o' cakes..... that's gonna be Ene, from Scarf Style. She's gonna be gorgeous. And, I'm totally a shawl convert now - you should have seen me stylishly flitting around Ikea yesterday with Icarus draped just so. Oh - I'm so stunning in my own mind.

Anyway.... that pretty pile of teal Cascade....I CAN'T WAIT to knit that! Seriously the prettiest yarn in the world. It's supposed to be my next project - a cabled zip-up sweater, but, that new brown Cascade Eco Wool is really speaking to me, for Starsky. It's moving up quickly on the project list. I'm pretty sure it's kicking it's cousin Cascade's butt in that regard.

The pretty ice blue.... that's being used for Sizzle.... love it. Working on it. MUST finish it before I cast on for Starsky.

The red - I just like to look at it. It's for socks. I am TOTALLY NOT in a sock mood lately. Who knows when I'll knit that.

The little fuzzy guy in the top left? - he's gonna be a Branching Out scarf for me.

I can't take it. I want them all now. But, I'm still totally in love with the Fair Isle... look at in the sun - shining like stained glass. I want to wear it NOW.

Now, NOW.... I am NOT A patient knitter. I knew I'd be sorry. I knew I just didn't have it in me to be a stasher. But, I also know that there's no going back now. My name is Lynda, and I stash yarn.

Tagged - My Tunes...

I was tagged by Lorette, The Knitting Doctor, so here's a random look at what's in my iPod - I turned it on "shuffle" and here are the first 12 tunes to come up-

......an odd little look into what rocks my world:

1. All for Love- Rod Stewart. I LOVE his love songs album. I walked miles and miles listening to Rod while I was training for my 3-day walk a few years ago.

2. I Can Only Imagine - Mercy Me. This is from my current "walking" playlist, which is chock full of praise music.

3. Always On My Mind - Elvis. How can you not love a little Elvis, although I prefer Willie Nelson's cover of this song.

4. The Lord's Prayer - Il Divo. OH. MY. Have you heard these guys.... more important, have you seen these guys! Wait - given that they're singing the Lord's Prayer- I probably shouldn't go there...

5. You Make Lovin' Fun - Fleetwood Mac. Love them. Takes me back to the early 80's when the hubby and I first met (smile).

6. Casino Royale - Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Good Stuff. Happy music. My mom used to listen to this when we were kids, now MY kids love it.

7. A Long Way Home - Dwight Yokum. Come on.... there are just some times when nothing but some good old twangy Dwight music will do.

8. Channel Z - The B-52's. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the B-52's!!

9. Message In a Bottle - The Police. Some more good music from the era where the hubby and I began...

10. Linus and Lucy - Vince Guaraldi Trio. My kind of Jazz. I love this entire CD (Peanuts Christmas Album).

11. The Holly and the Ivy - George Winston. More Christmas music. I have a LOT of Christmas music. George Winston is THE MOST brilliant pianist ever. I'm going to be him when I grow up... or Charlize Theron. Wait, I want to play like George and look like Charlize.... that's the ticket. Anyway, I digress - I have a LOT of George Winston music.

12. Take It Easy - Eagles. I LOVE singing along with the Eagles - they are perfect for me. I can figure out all harmonies and they're always in just the right key for my low alto voice (such as it is). Probably my all time favorite to sing to.

Hmmmm, that's kind of fun to do, and a little interesting to see what pops up. Consider yourself tagged if you'd like!

In fibery news, now that I'm a "stasher"- check out that beautiful Cascade Ecological Wool up there! I don't know if it's a new yarn altogether, or just new to my LYS, but I saw it for the first time last week. I talked myself out of buying it that day, and have been thinking of it ever since! But, really - when a $25 Gift Cert turns up in your mailbox for the very same LYS, well, duh..... it just means I was meant to have it!

This some nice stuff!, and surprisingly soft for yarn that is supposed to be "minimally processed." It's not all rough and twiggy like some minimally processed wool, but very smooth and pretty - AND, it and comes in a HUGE skein of 487 yards! It smells heavenly, too.

I'm thinking it may become Starsky some day. All that 80's music has me feeling a little retro.

Clean and Shiny

The hubby likes to clean stuff. I don't really "get" that - I'm not the neat one in the family, but I appreciate it.

The hubby was in a cleaning mood this weekend. Maybe it's just because we're all tired of ash and grime on EVERYTHING for the last month with this stubborn fire going on... Everything around here has seemed grimy, dusty, and ashy for soooo long. Especially the air.

So, over the weekend he played with his latest toy and pressure washed just about everything outside that could take it. The cars, the driveway, the sides of the house, the patio furniture....

Then, I guess just because it was one of those rare weekends where he was home ALL weekend with nothing specific to do.... he even went upstairs and scrubbed our tub and shower. He was gonna wash all the windows (another thing he just loves to do for some reason), but he ran out of time.

Then, it rained. Rain is the one thing we really needed. Rain is only thing that was gonna stop this stubborn fire from going on for another week or so. Everyone in these parts was so happy to see rain, I sat outside with about 100 other people at a fundraiser dinner yesterday evening, in the drizzle, and didn't hear one person complain about the rain, or their soggy dinners.

Me, I sat there with my big ol' curly hair getting bigger and bigger, and frizzier and frizzier, and didn't even care that I was probably getting to look a lot like Bozo. It was rain. It was good.

Last night I even woke up and heard the rain, and said a prayers of thanks. This morning everything was all clean and wet and drippy.

I love rain anyway - but this rain was especially sweet.

Now even the air is clean. That beautiful crisp, bright air that I forgot you were supposed to be able to see through. It's gorgeous this morning. I love the smell and look of a morning after a rain.

Hee hee - good thing hubby ran out of time and didn't wash the windows.

.....and, check it out up there - three new stripes on the Fair Isle this weekend. It's all good.