Photo free zone

Camera battery needs recharging. :sigh:

I am exhausted. I need to finish a couple of sekrit projects and get some wholesale orders out.

There's a swim meet this weekend. Am I a bad mother for hoping that Bear won't quite be over his cold enough to swim so I can stay home with him? Bad bad bad.

So. Tired.

Vitamins taken.

Bed calling.

:yawn:

Ant trax and randominity

7 Small Shawls: T - 94 days and counting down.

Isn't this wild?!

These are little ant freeways through the sawdust in Mr. Romi's work area. They just suddenly appeared! I've never seen anything like it except in photos of Africa.

The other day, I ordered a CrockPot and it came today! Of course, we're in the middle of the only real heat wave we've had all summer and all anyone wants to eat is salad, but I had to try it out. So we had brown rice in the rice cooker and I cooked some cubes of pork in salsa verde in the CrockPot. Yummy! The model I got is half off on crockpot.com.

Of course, I didn't get it for half off, much to my everlasting annoyance, but if one of you does, that will make me feel better. :)

In knitting news, shawl #4 is progressing nicely.

Several people have asked me about the beads I'm using. These are the ones, but I was drooling over these too. Plus, I really like Ellen at Earthfaire.

Did you all know that bloglines is going away this Friday? If you're subscribed to me through that service, you're going to need to change. I'm sorry to see it go, but Google Reader is very very similar.

In other news, my Pins & Lace Club opens again this Friday for sign-ups at 12 noon PST. I will post all the options here tomorrow, so you can get a jump on what will be available. There will be 50 spots this go.

My secret project is nearing completion. Please send good knitting juju!

Off to give the bunnies their treats....

Ow.

7 Small Shawls: T - 178 days and counting down.

I have a knitting injury to report.

Ouch. It is work related. But I don't suppose worker's comp would cover it, do you? "Cause of accident: pointy knitting needles." Hee.

So, yesterday's blog post referenced two 70s songs. Most of you knew the first one. But did any of you catch the second? It was a little oblique, but would be obvious for those of you, like me, who had a mad crush on were fans of a particular singer. Those of you who leave a comment by Monday July 14 midnight PST with the correct song/singer will be entered for a little prize: a copy of Fiori di Sole, due to be released to the public on August 1st.

Neosporin and a Band-Aid on my wound are doing a fine job at the moment, and it's back to work for me!

Freak Out!

7 Small Shawls: T - 179 days and counting down.

Le Freak, c'est Chic.

Going through my mind as I completely lose said mind. Nothing is cooperating. The sekrit project yarn is splitting, the pattern is not quite right, Mr. Romi's project is taking longer than expected, the kids are fighting and not doing their work, and drama abounds at Chez Romi among the younger set. I find myself sitting there with my shoulders up around my ears. Relax, I tell myself. Those shoulder pains are not a heart attack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack. Is it a bad sign that I think in 70s music when I'm stressed?

I had a great post for today about "killing" your yarn when blocking a shawl. But it seems to have succumbed to the general wackiness around here. Or maybe my computer did. At any rate, it's gone. And I'll have to re-do it tomorrow because it's not gonna happen tonight!

Back to work for me.

A Day in the Land of the Sleep Deprived

12:00 am: Glance at clock and note that it is midnight and you are still working.
12:30 am: Think about going to bed and realize that your deadline is tomorrow and you have 16 hours to get book projects to FedEx. And that you are emphatically NOT a morning person.
1:00 am: Begin playing "Somewhere over the Rainbow" sung by Iz. Over and over.
2:30 am: Begin to think that you know Iz personally. Decide to play a different song.
2:45 am: Realize that you are unable to see tiny black stitches any longer. Even under light. Drag yourself to bed.
3:00 am: Lie across bed with clothes on.
3:45 am: Wake up still with clothes on. Take them off and get into bed.
8:00 am: Awaken to hugs by 4 year old. Realize that this is the definite high point of the day.
8:05 am: Look in mirror. Scream.
8:15 am: Eat cereal. Drink caffeine.
8:30 am: Bead. Sew. Assemble projects.
12:15 pm: Eat left over curry. Drink caffeine. Thank Powers That Be for wonderful husband, currently with kids upstairs.
12:30 pm: Try to retain concentration when husband and kids come downstairs for lunch.
12:45 pm: Fail.
12:55 pm: Realize you are completely brainless and incapable of working with kids in near vicinity.
1:10 pm: Work.
2:00 pm: Realize you have made same mistake 3 times.
2:30 pm: Become frustrated while looking at misshapen felt ball.
2:35 pm: Lecture felt ball.
2:45 pm: Realize you cannot both bend felted balls to your will and make FedEx deadline. Cry.
3:00 pm: Take pictures of finished projects.
3:30 pm: Pack projects.
3:50 pm: Do FedEx label.
3:55 pm: Realize you have no ink in printer. Curse loudly.
4:00 pm: Make pdf and print label from other printer.
4:10 pm: Work on uncompleted project before going to FedEx.
4:45 pm: Decide to leave for FedEx.
5:00 pm: Realize that Colorado is probably NOT west coast deadline of 6:00, but is EAST COAST DEADLINE AT 5:15!
5:05 pm: Cry.
5:10 pm: Become stuck behind three semi trucks turning left.
5:13 pm: Run through possible ways to convince FedEx personnel to take pity on you.
5:15 pm: Arrive at FedEx.
5:16 pm: Find out for sure that Colorado deadline IS 5:15. Stare in horror at clock.
5:17 pm: Find out that FedEx personnel are Good People.
5:18 pm: Celebrate.
5:45 pm: Return home.
6:00 pm: Eat delicious dinner prepared by aforementioned wonderful husband. Feel very very lucky.
6:30 pm: Work.
7:00 pm: Realize you are making same mistake again.
8:00 pm: Put kids to bed.
8:30 pm: Resume making mistake.
9:00 pm: Begin chanting "Don't screw up, don't screw up, don't screw up."
10:00 pm: Chant. Work.
11:00 pm: Chant. Work.
12:00 am: Collapse.

And Another

Does anyone know of a generator that comes up with clever titles for blog posts? I could use one about now while what's left of my brain works tries to work on other stuff! ;)

Anyway, onward! As a little addendum to this tutorial on a provisional crocheted cast-on to knitting needle, here's what I do when I pick up the stitches. I had a few questions about it!

I begin by picking out the end of the crochet chain and unravelling the extra stitches, right up to the first stitch in the working yarn.

Then I begin carefully picking up the live stitches one at a time as I unravel the chain.

This is particularly important when you are using a slippery yarn or a really grabby one, like kidsilk haze.

It is time consuming, yes, but no stitches are dropped!

In other news, well, we're all working our hoo-hahs off over here. I haven't been able to do any recreational knitting (or crocheting) at all, so there's nothing to show! But I will say one thing: #1 Son's online school program is completely amazing. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in home-schooling. Wow.

Be well, everyone!