Bats In My Belfry

Boy, this sucker is large. It’s getting a bit tough to manage whilst working here at my desk (usual knitting place). I’m still concerned that it’s going to be a bit heavy to wear but, I’m in this for the long haul.

Mushy Peas, not just for eating. I suppose I ought to get those put back in the cupboard. Hard to see but I’ve gotten pretty anal about lifelines. Thanks to the sensible comments from Stellaluna and Himself, I’ve gotten over feeling like I’m “wussing out” using lifelines. In fact, I find it quite freeing. After counting stitches obsessively to be sure I’m on the right count and pattern, I run a lifeline and then, for awhile, knit on whilst watching DvDs. I generally run a line each day so that, at worst, I would lose one day’s work.

About half done, maybe a bit under. Not sure where in the hell I’m going to block this. We have no carpeting, no surface that is going to be big enough. This could pose a challenge. In fact, I don’t know anyone who does have any carpeting that I could pin this out on. But, that’s a bridge that’ll get crossed when I come to it.

Loving the Harmony circs. The points make the k2tog so easy. Avoids that desire I have with some needles to cram ‘em into a pencil sharpener. No problems with cables coming undone either (touch wood).

About 2 feet into the five feet to see it done. And not without a crisis. Heh. Always a crisis with me. All part of the learning process but sometimes I really, really, really wish I had a teacher. My biggest problem is figuring out how to fix errors. My brain works peculiarly, I guess, as I have trouble reading instructions in a book or online and then implementing them. Usually do okay when I can watch a video (thank goodness for all the great folks who make knitting videos!) but they don’t often focus on “oh look, this is wrong, no idea what’s wrong, but it’s obviously wrong” type situations.

Exactly the type I find myself in. Case in point…this shawl is a CO of 132 and a repeat of 4 rows. Simple enough, pattern easily memorised and requiring no particular fancy maneuvers. And yet, I have, twice now, made the same mistake. Bad part is, have yet to figure out exactly WHAT the mistake was. I end up with one stitch less on the “money row” (in Old Shale that’s the row with the yo and k2tog bits). I am pretty sure that I am missing a YO but every time I go to figure it out, I can never see where I have. Quite maddening, really.

So night before last saw me ripping back (always gives me the collywobbles) until I got to a plain knit row that had the proper amount of stitches. Happily this was only one pattern repeat. Then back on the needles and carry on. I did have the sense to run a lifeline which is kind of embarrassing but I’d rather be embarrassed than howling and cursing when I can’t get something fixed.

And so…

The colour just isn’t coming out correctly with the Ixus70. I need to investigate why. It’s more a tan/oatmeal colour.

Bottom edge. Shows the yarn and its heft. This is not going to be a dainty wrap by any means nor was it meant to be. It’s meant to be exceedingly warm and to be burrowed in. I do hope it’s not so heavy as to be unwearable though. Heh.

Lifeline. Meh. Well, as my husband pointed out when I was whining about the need for a lifeline, it’s akin to backing up your code when developing. Somehow that made it feel not so…uh…silly.

I think this is going to turn out as I envisioned and providing I can continue to count to six and stop mucking up with yarn-overs, I should be done with it in a couple weeks at the rate I’m going.

Even though it is frustrating to screw up, I did feel rather good when I took a deep breath (okay, several) and figured out how to try and un-screw it. Progress.

Happily, I discovered the TV series “House, M.D.” (on DvD with captioning!) and after viewing the first season in a couple days, got season 2 and 3 and am happily knitting away whilst watching the show. Love it. Hysterical and I am particular amused by the un-PC aspects and the rampant “smart-ass-ery” of Hugh Laurie’s character.

Errand day today so not much knitting accomplished (or anything else, yet, anyway). Hit the grocery, apothecary, what passes for a drugstore here (Muellers) and the Bahnhof (for cigs). Turned out to be a reasonable afternoon to be out after a wet, windy & cold morning.

Found something at the apothecary that might help with the Harmony sock needles. It’s Compeed’s Anti-Blister Stick meant to reduce friction thus preventing blisters. I know these needles are going to rub a hole in my palm. They just hit my right hand every stitch. So I picked up a stick of it. Looks like a mini-deodorant stick. Smells nice! Tried it out for a bit and it does seem to be helping but didn’t get to work all that long yet to be sure. Be nice if it did but if it doesn’t I’ll try to find some moleskin or just use a band-aid.

Had a rough time walking The Dawg this evening. We’re coming up on Fasching here in Germany which is a pre-Lenten celebration akin to Mardi Gras but lasting quite a bit longer than one day. All sorts of parades and events usually to do with scaring the crap out of witches (portrayed by folks wearing gunny-sack brown pant suits with witch masks and what appears to be gourds as their waists…don’t ask me, I don’t get it). Since fireworks apparently are only tolerated at New Year festivities, they rely on what we call “bull whips”, cracked LOUDLY and often. Haven’t seen it but I’m told there is a parade devoted to these whip crackers. So, folks start practising right around the first of the year…standing outside (fair enough, wouldn’t be very wise to practise indoors) cracking these whips. It makes a very loud, distinctive sound, something like a rifle shot. In fact, that’s what I thought it was the first time I heard it. There are smaller versions for the kids to practise with and I’d say those are about five feet long. The adult versions are longer, not sure by how much, at least a foot or two. They take some pretty serious strength to get cracking. It’s a skill.

Okay, so that all said…took The Dawg out just at sunset for his evening walk. Now The Dawg is no fan of noises like fireworks and he is no fan of these whips either. We turned out of our alley and onto the street and down by the last intersection before the fields were some kids about half of which were quite young, six-ish, and three boys that I would say were around ten. They were practising with their whips. The Dawg got nervous but he was doing okay walking along. Two of the whip-cracking boys headed out of the middle of the street leaving one who was cracking away. When I got within about ten feet, I called out: “Halt ein moment, bitte” (Stop for a moment, please). The Dawg was wary but he was trusting me that it was okay and we proceeded. Just after we got past the boy, he hauled off and cracked the whip a good one. The Dawg panicked. I mean total, full blown panic and dived through a hedge, taking most of me with him. As I was trying to get ‘hold of the dog through the hedge (I didn’t fit), he cracked it twice more (not helpful). A lady who was passing by said something, loudly and abruptly, to the boy and he laughed. I got The Dawg back on my side of the hedge and was trying to get him to move away from the kid. Kid cracked the whip again and The Dawg took off. I knew he was strong but never felt just how strong ’til this evening. It took every bit of my strength to hang onto him.

I got him turned down a sidestreet (hell with trying to get to the fields) and headed back toward home. Poor dog crawled under a parked truck (had to get him out of there), puked twice, peed a couple times, pooped and was shaking like a leaf. I managed to get him home a round-about way and when he realised he was near home he took off at full speed. I had to run or fall on my face.

I was angry. Very, very angry at this kid. It amazes me that people can be so inconsiderate and to laugh at a scared creature. It took about an hour for The Dawg to calm down. Poor thing was completely freaked out. Worse than with the fireworks and that was bad enough. I have no idea why he is so scared of noises like that but he absolutely is. So, it’s going to be rough couple of weeks whilst the neighbourhood is filled with whip practising people. I suppose we’ll have to adjust the walking schedule to times when they won’t be outside practising. Lovely.

I got my Adriafil “Swing” today from Angel Yarns in the U.K. It’s mercerised cotton. I got some blue variegated which’ll become gift towel/dishcloths.

Getting kind of cranky with Angel Yarns again. I ordered a Jordana Paige bag just before Christmas. Wrote ‘em an email on the 11th of January when I hadn’t yet received it. No reply. Tried to use their “contact us” form on their Web site and the form is broken. It gives you an anti-spam code to enter and even after entering it, it complains that you haven’t entered it. Grrrr. So, just sent ‘em another email with return receipt requested and read receipt requested. I cannot call them as I cannot hear very well. This fails, I guess I’ll have to go on their forums and complain. I’d really like to get that bag. Been over a month now with no clue as to when to expect to receive it. I so wish they’d get these issues sorted out.

Still pretty green for winter. I like that about this area.

Also working on a very heavy duty Old Shale made with Wendy Aran. So far, so good…

Oh well, back to…the sock…

January thaw underway, I guess. Been nearly 50°f for a couple days now although still gets well below freezing at night (and oh have the nights be clear. Stars all the way down to the horizons. Really feels like being in a bowl.). Much nicer especially since the sun has been out for 2 days in a row! Took The Dawg for his late afternoon walk today and it was pure pleasure. Fresh, fresh air, nice to be out walking around in it. Sunset was pretty nice too. Took the camera with me and got some shots.

The Dawg: Pigeon-toed, floppy-eared, hairy-tongued and very patient.

Beautiful light just at sunset. Warm and a nice change from the gray that is so common in winter here.

Nice view for an evening walk. Oddly there weren’t very many people out this evening. Usually this is prime walking time.

I am going to miss this walk when we move up to the top of the “mountain”. I probably won’t miss the aroma of the dairy farm that is silhouetted in this picture. When the wind is from that quarter it is very, very aromatic. Still, pretty and, to me, beats the hell out of any view in a city.

We recently got a printer that can print out very nice copies of photos. Since we don’t have many pictures on the walls to begin with (I rarely find anything I like and what I do like ends up be horrendously expensive…figures) this new printer will help us to “decorate” and, maybe, gift some photos to family/friends. The picture at the top of this post of “The Dawg” got printed out for my office. That shot just tickles me.

Appetite has been slow in returning after being sick but after the walk this evening I found myself really hungry. Happily the grocery store is again stocking the vegetarian entrees they carried before the holidays. I guess with the limited room, they did away with the veggie stuff to have room for the holiday stuff. Sugar vs. veggie? I go with veggie. Anyway, I stocked up on “Cordon Bleu”, “Schnitzel” and the “nuggets” (trying for first time). The nuggets are good! Doesn’t surprise me considering everything I’ve had from this company (name escapes me just now) is excellent. Almost got me over missing my Morningstar Farms Grillers. So, supper tonight is nuggets with a mayo/cilantro/lemon/garlic dip. Himself turned his nose up at the offer to share. Hah! More for me.

Kind of nervous about the shawl I am making Sandra. I got 8 balls of Jaeger Matchmaker in a lavender/periwinkle (shade 626) which should have been enough but even though I’m on gauge, I’m thinking it’s not going to be.

I emailed Angel Yarns to see if they had any more in the same colour/lot but then I remembered it was on sale (gnah! I see that it’s being discontinued. Why oh why is it that when I find a yarn I like…discontinued…meh!). I think I might be screwed here. I ordered another batch of the Jaeger but in a loden green and enough to be absolutely sure that I have enough. Worst that’ll happen is that I’ll end up with 2 shawls and that wouldn’t be the worst thing. It is very pretty though. And I am actually enjoying doing the pattern. Bit nervous given my concentration issues but I think I’m just psyching myself out. In any case I’m chugging along. Going to take awhile.

Also have cranked out a couple of towels for the kitchen. Needed ‘em. Going to get stocked back up so I have a week’s worth again. Doing a very basic but pretty “interrupted rib” (did a scarf in this pattern last week too) and then edging with a round of single crochet and then a quick loop for hanging. Nice ‘n’ squishy, dries things pretty quickly and look nice. Need pictures I guess.

Ah well, back to the shawl.

Looks like the first significant snow of the season is bearing down on us. And it’s bleedin’ COLD out. Now I don’t get cold easily but today? Holy moly. Wind is coming out of the NW and I swear it’s the express from the North Pole. On the morning walk, tears were streaming, nose was…uhm…dribbling and my ears were hurting something fierce (they both have been frostbitten so they are kind of sensitive).

And me without a hat. Problem is, I don’t like hats. I look like a giant tuber root in hats (’cept cowboy hats for some odd reason), especially winter type hats (sensible ones anyway). Now, if this keeps up I may end up not caring how silly I look but I am making a THICK headband tonight from Lana Grossa Bingo in a green which comes close to matching my coat. I so wanted to wait ’til the rest of my Twilley’s Freedom Spirit arrived but no way. I hope to pull off this headband with one ball of the Lana Grossa but if not, I have plenty. I just do NOT want to go out there tomorrow morning without something on my ears.

My Yarn Harlot One Row Scarf made from the Twilley’s turned out beautifully. Very pleased. And nice and warm. Forgot it this a.m. (hey, I’m lucky if I can remember how to walk first thing in the morning never mind such niceties as a scarf I hadn’t fully processed I own) and made sure to wear it this afternoon. Really nice. No scratchy bits, warm. Glad I did it.

When the rest of the Twilley’s gets here (maybe tomorrow but more likely Monday…meh), I’ll get going on the gauntlets from it (since I’ll have this headband done and the need won’t be so urgent). Not a fan of gloves either but I may have to get over that. My fingers aren’t what get cold, it’s the backs of my hands and my wrists so I might escape with just gauntlets. Happily, I can do a pair of those in a day of dedication or two days of just knitting whenever I’m in front of the ‘puter.

Snow. Meh. Supposedly only about six inches but could be interesting with the way the wind is blowing.

But it’s okies, I will have a headband tonight. Pictures when it’s done.