Tinking a Sock

I've often said that I enjoy the process of knitting as much as the final product and I must say that it's a darn good thing! I sat down to work on my sock while we watched the hockey game last night and decided that perhaps I should measure it. The pattern says to work until the sock measures six inches and mine was seven and a half! Apparently I had been enjoying that knitting process a bit too much. Now, tinking is not a skill of mine, so I started with some trepidation and sure enough stitches started going every which way. My new life theory is "zero stress" so rather than chase those errant stitches I just decided to pull the entire sock out. And when Keith turned his head to see what I was doing and saw me pulling it out, well the look on his face was worth every bit of it! I have all the yarn wound up again and am ready to cast on again during lunch today and this time I will not knit quite so far without measuring. ; )

~ Elizabeth

"Anything worth doing is worth doing many times!"

Stuff on Meeko

Meeko has been lamenting the lack of cat pictures on my blog, so I decided to use him as a backdrop for a "sock progress" picture. This is also a good time to share the website Stuff on My Cat if you haven't visited. Very silly cat pictures and some that probably shouldn't have been posted, but good for some giggles.

And that's really all I have to share today. I spent a large part of the weekend sleeping and getting over whatever it was I had, so today I'm finally feeling more like ME again!

~ Elizabeth

My Space

Since last night I went to bed early, there's really not much to report. I figure this is the perfect opportunity to enthrall everybody with an exciting picture of one of my favorite places! The riot of non-coordinating colors in this picture doesn't do my corner justice in showing the peace that can be found within. This chair is where I love to sit and knit in the wee hours of the morning or late at night before bed. Since there is obviously not much space here, I am able to sit in the chair and put my feet on the bed if I'm in the mood for that. You can also see the very corner of Joe's crate and he most of the time is sound asleep within. Behind that is my dresser and my tv/dvd combo lives atop that. So this morning I was able to watch a classic Lucy episode (Lucy stomping grapes, it really can't be beat!!!) while knitting on my sock. Oh and the pillow on the chair is one that my wonderful parents-in-law brought to me when I was in the hospital last year. The happy colors make me smile every time I see it.

~ Elizabeth

For the Lord is good and His love endures forever, His faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:5

Thursday Thoughts

This is what my head has felt like this week. It's a little bit better today, so I decided to be brave and come to work. Really I'd rather be in my jammies and a blanket up to my neck, but until that lottery pays off I'll be at work - and happy that I have a good job I might add! And a very heartfelt "thank you" to Tylenol Severe Allergy formula today as well.

Poor Joe. We were supposed to be able to pick him up at the vet Tuesday after work. However, I got a call late Tuesday from the vet that said his blood work was not good and she wanted him to "be their guest" overnight. They told us we could pick him up last night at about 5:30, so we did. Bless his heart, it must have been pretty traumatic for him because he whined and cried all evening, then woke us up several times during the night crying. It was almost like having a new puppy in the house. He seemed a little better this morning, but still cried more than usual and his face looks very old. Hopefully he won't have to have a vet visit again for quite some time so he can recover!

Here's a picture of what I have so far of sock #1, pair #2. This is the Peaks and Valleys pattern and yarn is Melody by Jojoland. It's great yarn to knit with, 100% wool (so we'll see what that feels like once I get one finished) and best of all only $6.50 at Woolie Ewe! Once I try on a sock made from this stuff and assuming I love it, I'll dash out there and buy lots more because of the price and the magnificent colorways it comes in.

Speaking of magnificent color, the sunrise this morning was simply stunning. I actually pulled over on the way to work this morning to bask in the glory of it. Then I tried to take a picture with my cell phone, but that didn't work out at all. So I will have to remember it's beauty on my own.

~ Elizabeth

Wake the neighbors! Get the word out! C'mon, crank up the music, climb a mountain and shout! This is life we've been given, made to be lived out! So la la la la live out loud! - Stephen Curtis Chapman

Superman Joe

I had to chuckle when I looked at this picture this morning. When I took the picture last night I didn't realize that it's folded into the shape of the Superman logo! Hmmm..... I also didn't realize how badly this yarn pooled until I looked at the picture. This is the Sugar n Cream Rosewood yarn that reminds me of neopolitan ice cream. I still really like it, in spite of the pooling, since I am enamored of pink and brown together.

I did have to frog the newest sock last night because somehow or another I got it all messed up and I was still just on the ribbing! That's ok, I'll cast on again tonight and start over. Knitting is the only hobby I've ever had where the process is just as good for me as the finished project - thankfully!

This morning I dropped Joe off at the vet so that we could try again to get his teeth cleaned. Last time there was a conflict with his seizure meds, so this time we are hopefully good to go. He looked like Godzilla when we were all filling out paperwork because the other dogs there were tiny. One was a teacup poodle and the other a chihuahua that weighed in at 3.1 pounds! I did think the "mom" of that dog was insane though. She was holding her dog and leaned down to show her dog to Joe - right in his face. Now, Joe is a very mellow dog, but he weighs 90 pounds and she doesn't know he's kind. He's also sitting in a stressful situation and I swear she looked like she was serving her dog to him as an appetizer! Crazy lady. Of course nothing happened, other than Joe wagging his tale, but still!

~ Elizabeth

"Faith is a living and unshakable confidence. a belief in God so assured that a man would die a thousand deaths for its sake." Martin Luther

IT RAINED!!!

Yesterday was an all day, soaker type of rain. They reported this morning that the area got between 1-2 inches on average, so a big hallelujah! Of course, being the newscasters that they are and having to put a negative spin on everything, they kept lamenting that it wasn't nearly enough rain to end the drought. I'm sure they are correct, but I still think it was cause for rejoicing!

This darling raggedy brings a smile to my face every time I pass her, so I figured I better put her up for all to smile at. She was hand made for me for Christmas by a very dear friend and I just love her. I need to get another picture of the whole group so that all can see how well she fits in with the others. I have an antique sewing machine in my entry way and it has a doily with other raggedys on it, so just perfect! She also has a touch of cinnamon scent, so that makes her even better.

This weekend was so wonderful in so many ways. It's the first weekend that I didn't really have plans for quite some time. Keith left very early Saturday morning to go with a friend to his church where there was a very large men's prayer breakfast, then a small group of them went on a motorcycle ride for a good part of the day. He had a great time and he thinks it will be a monthly event, which is something he can look forward to.

I, however, slept in gloriously on Saturday morning! Haven't done that in so long. When we got up Lynne' and I made some plans and ended up having a great mother/daughter day together. We headed out to Woolie Ewe so that I could get some size 1 dpn's to start a new sock pattern, but alas there was not a size 1 in the store (who knew there would be a run on them???). While looking at the sock yarns though Sue, the owner, came over and told me and another lady that they'd just received a shipment of brand new sock yarn and we helped her unpack them. WOW - fabulous yarn! It's 100% wool and called Melody by Jojoland, which I've never heard of before. Best of all, it was only $6.50 a ball! Lynne' and I picked out a darker pastel color and I also bought a new sock pattern by Mountain Colors yarn (Peaks & Valleys Socks), which I cast on last night.

We then had lunch at Scotty P's, which is truly the best hamburger place around, then headed across the street to Scrap Bucket. Unbelievably, I bought nothing there at all! I'm sure it's because I've been up to Whitesboro so much lately, but nothing there really called my name. Our next stop was two doors down from there at Carriage House Quilting, where I bought two foundation pieced wall hanging kits.

Next up was heading to James and Loni's apartment, where we picked them up and went to two open houses, which was Phase I of house hunting for them. The houses were not what they were looking for, but I was ready to pack and move in!

Then Lynne' and I headed to Quilt Country so that she could get some fabric to begin her Japanese quilt. Oh my word that place is like sensory overload! She found lots that she wanted and when we went to the cutting table we were greeted by 3 of the gals I used to be in Quilt Bee with! I knew that one of them worked there as I run into her every so often, but the other two were a very pleasant surprise. They were so helpful in helping Lynne' get what she needed.

That night we watched Mr and Mrs Smith and I cast on a dishcloth in Rosewood color by Sugar n Cream. Call it what you will, but to me it looked exactly like Neopolitan ice cream! I really love pinks and browns, so this was great. I did the Grandmother's Favorite pattern and finished it yesterday. Note to self: take a picture of this at lunch time!

Yesterday was an all family day. : ) All five of us went house hunting and visited some new homes and existing homes. I think quite a bit was learned by all of us and most of all it was just so good to spend the time together.

And last night Keith, Lynne' and I watched Cheaper by the Dozen and it was a really cute movie - much better than the previews made it seem. And that's when I got the next sock started!

But a couple of personal things that I'm proudest about this weekend - I didn't get on the computer AT ALL and I walked the treadmill each day! Amazing feats these are! Of course I have a bunch of email to answer today, but I'm trying so hard to stop being on the computer so much on the evenings and weekends and maybe do some of the things I enjoy rather than just reading about them on the internet!

~ Elizabeth

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! Psalm 118:23-25

More Socks and Penguins!

Took my socks on their first test drive last night! I felt crummy at work yesterday, so left early and came home and fell into bed for a nice nap. I think with the non-winter we're having in Texas all the allergies are hitting a lot earlier than they normally do. Keith woke me up at dinner time and we went out for a quick taco, so I slipped my socks and clogs on and off we went! Either they are very comfortable or I am still in awe over having made them because they were great! For just regular, everyday socks I would definitely use this pattern again because it fits well.

The picture is one that I took Wednesday night when I first tried on the socks. Poor Joe was not nearly as impressed with the socks as I was and he kept trying to get me to play with him and the penguin instead. :)

And on a deeper note - I really love working with the self patterning yarn. I enjoyed watching the colors change and the patterns develop as you just knit. I would like to take this moment to praise our Gracious God for giving us such beauty in our lives. How pleased He must be to see us having fun with His creations!

~ Elizabeth

Our God is an awesome God!

Socks Are Done!!!

WooHoo - socks are DONE! We ended up recording LOST last night as there was a Dallas Stars hockey game that we wanted to watch - and of course I knit during hockey games. I used the Beginner Sock pattern from Knitting Pure and Simple and it fits me perfect as written. The yarn is Clown yarn and I need to get the label tonight and make note of the colorway before I lose the label. I'm really happy with how they turned out and can't wait for the weekend so that I can test drive them with my clogs! I suppose wearing them will be the real test.

It was fun to compare the two socks. The first sock I somehow had the idea that it was more like sewing on the toe and tried turning it inside out to finish. Oh what a big mistake! Stitches were running every which way, so I just did the best I could to control the damage. I also have a bigger ridge where I picked up the stitches on the heel. The second sock has a nice heel and I did a better job on the toe by using the kitchener stitch like I should've in the first place! That's ok - things become better with practice.

Gratuitous Joe picture - just because I can! We took him to Petco tonight to get more Glucosamine and they had the Christmas toys marked down. I happen to absolutely love penguins (March of the Penguins was great!), so I gave in to his pleading eyes and spent the three bucks on a toy. He had a blast with it all night long and of course was working the squeeker this morning upon waking. What a wacky pup!

~ Elizabeth

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Psalm 24:1

Getting LOST Again!

Hoo boy - Wednesday nights are sooo good! This show really is da bomb and we finally had the "monster" in last week's episode again. If the previews are any indication at all, tonight's episode will be awesome!

OFA Red Scarf Project

Through my internet travels I had read about the Orphan Foundation of America Red Scarf Project and had purchased some yarn at Hobby Lobby to get a scarf done for it. Unfortunately it was turning out really yucko, so I figured I wouldn't get one done after all. But last night while I was rooting around in my stash to see what else might work I found this scarf! It was the first thing I knit when I started knitting again two years ago. It's seed stitch in Lion Brand Chenille and oh so soft. I quit working on it though because when I started it I had a certain somebody in mind to give it to and then realized that Texas/Oklahoma really has no need for heavy, warm scarves. So the poor thing has been languishing in my closet since then, unfinished and unloved. I was so excited to see it last night as it will be perfect for the OFA Project! I knit about another foot on it and want it to be just a little longer before donating. It's funny how there are so very many worthwhile projects available to be a part of and you just never know which one will touch your heart. If you want to read the official press release for this project, click here to open a PDF file.

~ Elizabeth

Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:31

Sock Box

I finally got tired of breaking my dpn's when I would take my socks to work to knit on during lunch break, so decided to do something about it. I found this box at Walmart and it's perfect! It's a cd storage box made by Sterilite and best of all it was only about $2.50! The yarn, needles and folded pattern fit just right, handle on top and no way will the needles break anymore when I toss my purse on top of it when I get in the truck.

Let the Wedding Plans Begin!

Starting Monday morning with a picture of Joe sleeping in the office - what he does best I might add! And what I seriously wish I was doing about now. A large part of last week and this weekend I was in bed so early and now I owe emails, phone calls and cards to a large number of people. I am surely hoping this week goes better!

Saturday I went to Whitesboro again with a group of friends to take a scrapbooking album class. I enjoy those days so much - both the class, teacher and shop and the spending the day with friends. Really a great time. When I got home I was so tired and ended up in bed a little after 7:00!

Sunday was another really fun day. Lynne' and I went to the Dallas Bridal Show with Loni and her sister Marcy. My only real complaint is that they took my camera at the door and had big signs that said no picture taking! I was all set to have pictures of Loni as this is a big step towards the wedding. But luckily I did notice how many people were using their cell phone cameras, so when Loni tried on a wedding gown I did get some pictures of her. I won't be posting those just in case James looks at the blog since we all know it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the wedding! One of the funny stories from the show was when one of the vendors looked at Loni, wearing the "bride to be" button, then me and said I surely was the mother as she could see the family resemblance. Um....no....I'm the mother-in-law! Think maybe it was a marketing ploy???

And again, in bed by 8:00 last night....

~ Elizabeth

May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed. Psalm 20:4

Trip To The Vet

Joe gets pretty curly after a bath! He was wanting to look good for his trip to the doctor today, so Keith bathed him last night. You can see the curls on the back of his legs.

This morning we arrived at the vet at 7:00, ready to be checked in. He thought it grand fun at first because he was able to wag tails and rub noses with another big dog. Then that dog disappeared behind The Scary Door and didn't return. The tech came over and weighed Joe (yay - he's lost a few pounds!), put an official leash on him and started walking towards The Scary Door. Joe decided he wanted no part of this, thank you very much, and planted his feet to the floor! Unfortunately for him, they have tile floor and he just slid towards The Scary Door, looking at me with pleading in his eyes. The tech asked me to walk with them a little ways, then they went on back and I could hear him whining. Poor baby. All this just to get his teeth pearly white again! I'll be thinking of him during the day because anesthesia is a scary thing with an epileptic dog.

Still not awake yet this morning, even though I went to bed EARLY last night. Hopefully this coffee will kick in quickly!!!

~ Elizabeth

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Psalm 8:1

LOST Again!

Oh man - I almost forgot that there's a new episode of LOST tonight! :oh boy, oh boy: : )

At lunch I got sock #2 to the point of the toe decreases, so won't be long now til they are officially a "pair" of socks!

Sometimes life is just so good you don't know where to go from here!

~ Elizabeth

Thank You Denise Austin!

WHEW - the last few days I've felt like a gerbil running on a wheel and for really no reason whatsoever! Hopefully that has passed and I can get my head on straight again. We did get the house clean, all except the office and hobby room - but then I fear those rooms will never really be organized into what we want them to be.

Last night was Day 2 of my Pilates DVD again. I did it for a couple of months about this time last year until my stomach starting hurting too much for the moves. Then I gave myself time to heal after the surgery, then the holidays hit and now I figure I better start again quick before I come up with another excuse! Anyway, I really do enjoy it and feel better when I do it. Last night was hilarious though because Joe thoroughly enjoys pilates! Every time I'd lean down for a toe touch he'd try to lick me. And when it came time for floor exercises he was dancing all around me. The funniest part is that when the DVD was over he was breathing harder than I was! I guess pilates is a good workout for golden retrievers as well. : )

~ Elizabeth
I will praise God's name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving. Psalm 70:30

Joe's Album

I got the dog album scanned and uploaded this morning. If you'd like to see all 20 pages, click here and it will take you to the page on a scrapbook site that I frequent where I uploaded all the pictures.

Hit another milestone yesterday in our lives. Keith and I bought helmet number 2 for the motorcycle, so when we got home Lynne' and Keith hopped on the motorcycle and went riding for a few hours. Still not so sure how I feel about this, but I do know that they had a fabulous time.

Today after work I plan on looking through my baby blanket knit patterns to find something I can use my pink worsted on that was purchased for the aran sweater that I won't be doing (long sentence!). I know that I have some really cute blanket patterns, but since the holidays happened I have not been able to find a thing in this room!

~ Elizabeth

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ” - Matthew 6:19-21

Beautiful Weather

Still beautiful spring-like weather during this Texas winter! On Friday Lynne' and I took Joe to the park during lunch and since there was absolutely nobody else there at all we played on the playground equipment! On this picture Lynne' had just gone down the slide and Joe didn't like that idea, so he went back down the stairs and met her at the bottom of the slide just as happy as a clam!

Friday night I went cropping with friends and it was a very productive evening. I finished a 20 page 8x8 album all about Joe - go figure - and it turned out very cute. I'll be scanning and posting the pictures as soon as I can get to it. Then on Saturday a group of a went to the Rubber Stamping Convention here in Grapevine and had a great day together. Started off at IHOP at breakfast, then off for shopping. I bought a bunch of stamps, naturally, and am excited about using them. We then went to another scrapbook store and bought more things, so I'm really set up for working now!

After I got home from playing with my friends, Keith and I went to dinner at Chili's with James and Loni, then went back to their apartment for awhile where I got to play with the grand kitties. Just love them - they are just like puppies! Loni and I did lots of wedding talking and just really had a good evening.

I am loving 2006 so far! :^D

~ Elizabeth

We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves, or more deeply engrossed in anything than when we are playing.

No More Aran Knitting

Almost as soon as I was finished eating dinner last night I did the last two rows of the ribbing on the child's aran sweater and I was sooo impressed! This thing was gorgeous! I stopped and did some things around the house, then sat down to do the first row of the body. I knew looking at the pattern that it would require quite a bit of concentration, so I wanted to wait until I was ready to sit and think (sometimes a challenge in itself!). There were only 89 stitches on the row, but by the time I was about 3/4 of the way finished with the row I had tears streaming down my face. I have carpal tunnel and usually it is no big deal at all. I sleep in a brace and that takes care of it. But I discovered last night that all the cables and twisting of an aran sweater are not what I need to be doing. I sat and thought about it a bit, then pulled the whole thing off the needles and ripped it out before I pushed myself any further. There is really no sense in putting my body through all of that and I wanted to rip it before I threw caution to the wind.

I was fairly upset by this last night as I really wanted to do this sweater and learn aran knitting. But then I thought about it more and realized that I can still do the sock knitting I enjoy and I do want to do more lace knitting, so there is still room to grow. And I pondered it more and came to the conclusion that there are many other things in life I cannot do - brain surgery comes to mind! - and rather than focus on the can'ts I'm going to move on and enjoy what I CAN do! (But I still would like to do the sweater - grumble, grumble!)

~ Elizabeth

Trials, temptations, disappointments -- all these are helps instead of hindrances, if one uses them rightly. They not only test the fiber of character but strengthen it. Every conquering temptation represents a new fund of moral energy. Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before. James Buckham

Fire Danger in Dallas

This is what drought looks like at the park by my house. We have had so many fires all around the area and the smoke plumes are even showing up on the weather radar now.

Joe and I went to the park as soon as I got home yesterday and if anything he kicked up his heels more than usual. Of course, the high yesterday broke records at 84 degrees, so he was loving it!

On the crafting front, I had planned to knit the ribbing of the sweater last night and then go in and do some scrapbooking. But it was one of those nights where I kept screwing up the knitting and having to rip and start over, then I got into the Law and Order show, so all I ended up doing was about half the sweater ribbing. Then starting today my hours are back to normal, so no more going in early and getting off early. The bright side of this is that I am really a morning person, so I got up at my usual time and was ready quite early. That gave me time to eat breakfast at home and make my lunch, which will help me to stay more healthy. Plus I had time to relax and knit a bit before coming to work. Really, except for the traffic I like the new hours.

And who would have ever thought that me on a motorcycle would produce so many comments! LOL!

~ Elizabeth

Craft Shopping

Well I didn't make it very long at all without going craft supply shopping! But there was a 50% coupon in the Michael's ad and what's a woman to do??? Headed out with a friend yesterday and did have fun. I got the knitting needles I've been needing, some lined baskets for the bathroom and then saw some cute Christmas ribbon on sale for only .29 each! I did manage to get my desk and crop table cleaned off last night and hopefully will actually use it this week.

One of the online knitting groups I play with is doing a Child's Heirloom Aran Pullover Knitalong and I got most of my swatch done last night and will probably get it finished during lunch today. Assuming I get guage I'll start the sweater tonight before bed. I'm doing mine in a baby pink, which probably isn't a traditional color for an aran sweater, but I like pink and think it will be fun to knit on.

~ Elizabeth

Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. - Abraham Lincoln

Motorcycle Mama!!!

I learned a valuable lesson today - never say never! I had said that I wouldn't be riding the motorcycle with Keith, but today I rode to Sam's with him and have to admit that I LOVED it! I'm not really ready to go on long rides yet, but at least now I'm ok with doing it every so often.

~ Elizabeth

Happy New Year!

I'm sitting here this morning in a quiet, still house. The "boys" (aka Joe and Meeko - the dog and the cat!) let me sleep in a bit before waking me for their breakfast. They are now sound asleep, having received their due. I'm relaxing with cup of coffee number one (CoffeeMate, I had a hard time forgiving you when you took away my Pumpkin Spice and Gingerbread creamer, but now that you've given me Vanilla Caramel and Creme Brulee I'm feeling a little happier again!). My senses are very happy this morning: the coffee tastes wonderful; the Christmas tree lights (which will come down this afternoon) look beautiful - I just cannot get enough of those beautiful lights!; the tabletop water fountain sounds so peaceful with the water flowing over the rocks; the cool breeze from the window feels so refreshing; the burning candle votive smells divine. May we never lose our sense of wonder and appreciation for the small, everyday things around us. There is much to be thankful for if we just open our eyes to it all.

And now 2006 waits patiently in front of us - ready to be filled with things and people we love. While I don't do a formal list of resolutions, I do face each New Year with a sense of anticipation. I am so blessed to have a wonderful family that I truly love and this last year has shown me how important friends are as well. May we never take any of the important people in our lives for granted and cherish them each day.

Upcoming years can also give us a chance to make changes in our lives. What about my life would I change? When worded that way I would have to say very little. I am so happy and so blessed that to want changes would mean that I don't like things the way they are. And yet, to change is to grow. I think I mostly would like to be more awake and ALIVE this year and not take anything for granted. I will sleep when I need to and when I'm awake I will fill myself with JOY! I will do everything within my power to keep my health where it needs to be. I will start attending the women's group at church and enjoy fellowship with christian women and LEARN more about our wonderful God. I will ENTERTAIN more this year and open my home to others. I will go outside my comfort zone on being away from family and attend the two upcoming retreats with my friends. I will CREATE with my crafts and explore my inner artist.

And yet, if life happens again this year and none of these things are able to occur, I will not chastise myself. I will ACCEPT what happens with grace and keep my eyes focused FORWARD.

May 2006 be the year that we all want it to be!

~ Elizabeth

Let there be peace on Earth, And let it begin with me!!!