Just A Few Hours Left

Well here we are again with just a  few hours left until the new year begins. I must say each passing year is worst than the one before. On the reading front I did not finish reading very many books. I started a lot but did not finish had to return a few to the library.  I have knit a few dishcloths. I started an Aran sweater in June, I am still working on the sweater and I plan to finish. I am working the back of the sweater I am almost at the point of decreasing for the arm holes. The knitting group I meet with on Wednesday's has not met for the last two weeks due to the Christmas and tomorrow's New Year's holiday so I have not worked on my sweater since December 18th. I had to work today and now I am at home watching for now Storage Wars, drinking wine, and knitting a Grandma's Favorite Christmas Tree Dishcloth by Deb's Heartfelt Designs. I hope to continue to increase my knitting skills and finish my sweater next year. I want to read more and I will have to force myself to do all these things and make myself live rather than exist. Oh I want to try and be a better blogger this I think has been my worst year. See you in 2014.      

MERRY CHRISTMAS

A very long time since my last post. It is Christmas Day! My Daughter has gone home and I am here with my Mother watching the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol. I am knitting a dishcloth shaped like a Christmas tree . I am still working my Aran sweater that I started in June. I have not read as many books this year. I just needed to post at least one more time this year. I might post again before the end of the year. Happy Holidays!

Still Yet Holding On!

The slow and steady progress on my Aran Sweater continues. I am working on the back of the sweater. It is slow progress because I don't work on the sweater everyday. Also I am a slow knitter when it comes to this sweater. I want to read the pattern over and over and  I want to make sure I get the stitches right. You have to pay close attention to the back because you need to cable in both the front and the back all in the same row! One day I will finish this sweater.  I finally made up my mind on buttons for my sweater. Great day today not to hot or cold and no need for the air conditioner! Happy crafting.   

First Day Of Fall

Today is the first day of Fall and it has been a very pretty day. I did not need to turn on the air conditioner. Still working on my  Aran sweater I had the ribbing for the back and the first 3 rows done last night but it was looking bad, so I ripped it out and started over. I sent an email to Karen the lady teaching the sweater class. She email me today and said she could met me on Tuesday to help with the increase and I am hoping the first 2 or 3 rows, maybe just the first two. This coming week is Banned Book Week. The reason for bringing this up is because this past week here in Randolph County located in what some people consider the great state on North Carolina, the state in which I live  and I am becoming increasingly embarrassed  to admit that I live here.  The Randolph County School Board by a 5-2 margin voted to ban and remove all the copies of Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison from all Randolph County school libraries. The book was one of three rising Randleman High School juniors could choose for summer reading for the 2013-14 school year. A parent complained about the book. This lead to a committee to met, the committee recommend not to ban the
book, but that fell on deaf ears. The book was banned. Apparently this did not go over well with a lot of people in the community and I think the Randolph school parents. Because in an article in Friday's issue of The Courier-Tribune it was announced that a special board meeting will be held September 25 concerning the book. I hope in the end they will decide not to ban the book. I have not read the book but since the board decided to ban the book and all the uproar, I decided to read the book, and apparently I am no the only one. I plan to start reading tonight. This book is not to be confused with The Invisible Man, by H. G. Wells, I admit that was my confusion at first. I had never heard of the book before the article about the ban. So this parent who wants to get a book banned has done a great thing and that is to get people reading again. I am sure all the teenagers that can no longer read book will try and find a way to read it even if the have to go behind their parents backs.
    

Another Sweater update

It has been a long time since my last sweater update. After a long time I have finally finished the left and right front of my sweater. I cast on and knit the first six rows of ribbing for the back of the sweater. To tired to do much more no reading or crochet. I have found the perfect buttons for my sweater. I will post a picture next time of the buttons.

STILL WORK ON MY ARAN SWEATER

This is the last day of August and my only post for the Month. Life is moving on as it should, with long hard days and nights. I am still working in my sweater. I am trying by best not to give before I finish. Long weekend with no money and nothing to do. I should try knitting and maybe I will be able to finish my sweater.

STILL FORGING AHEAD ON MY SWEATER

It's the last day of the Month and my first and only post for July. It is sad but true it seem I am losing all interest in living my life and doing the things that I enjoy. I have so many soul sucking things taking up my life. Oh well on with my tale of July.  The month started out signing up for another class on knitting an Aran Sweater this was turning out to be a very expensive sweater. Still I did not mind because I enjoy the class and I really like all the ladies taking the class and the woman teaching the class. Everyone in the class is at a different stage in their sweater most are ahead of me. A lot of the ladies are retired I think 4 of us that have full time jobs. They are not as lazy as I am and are further along than me. Last week I became somewhat  discouraged because my cable went a little off and it was in a place that you could tell something was not quite right. So I gave up all together and did not on the left side, which I could have and then I would be closer to finishing my left and right side. So tonight I went to class and it was planned  ahead of time that we would work on a hat to felt to take a break from the sweater. It is a hat knit on circular needles in the round a great break and so far an easy knit. At the end of the class I ask the instructor to take a look at my cable she looked at it knew what to do to fix  it without ripping out the entire row and she fixed it for me and now I am back on track and this weekend I am determined to finish both sides of the sweater so that I can start my back. Since we have come to the end of our second set of classes the Arts Guild told us that we could continue to use the space as a meeting place and so now we are forming a knitting circle, no name yet. We can continue on with our sweater knitting or knit whatever we like and enjoy each other's company. The next knitting class offered by the Arts Guild is a Christmas Stocking. I plan to take this class also. Still searching for buttons for my sweater. So this is about everything for the month of  July. I am ready to move into August and hopefully a better month. Sweater progress picture below, the color is much better in person.            

SWEATER UPDATE FROM A LAZY KNITTER

Well summer is here and I am still working on my sweater. We finished the 4 classes and I have almost finished the left side and started the right side. I started the armhole for the left side. I am a few row's in on the right side. We will continue the sweater through the month of July. I am a lazy knitter because I have no husband, children, or anything pressing me on the weekend so that I can not spend time knitting. I stay in the bed on the weekend very late and then when I get up  watching tv and the Internet claims a lot of my attention. So far today no knitting and yesterday only two or three rows. It is not that I don't enjoy knitting I do and I am enjoying learning how to knit a sweater, it is working my self up to do something other than staring at the tv. I refuse to give up and will finish the sweater. I have a few days off this week and hope to make progress. I will work a half day on Wednesday and off the 4th and the 5th.       

World Wide Knit in Public Day

Today was the  start of what how has become World Wide Knit in Public Week. It is however WWKIP day. So I got up this morning and went to Common Threads in High Point to knit in public. I had a great time and worked on the baby afghan I started weeks ago. I added several rows. I did not take my sweater because I did not want to get off track. All the people at the shop are very nice and I really enjoyed listening to everyone talk. Most of them worked on I think the Holden Beach Shawl. Some of the ladies worked on mice Christmas Ornaments . One lady worked on a baby afghan also it was beautiful knit with three different colors at the same time. She had a beautiful knitting bag made by her sister with chickens, she also had a knitting needle holder with chicken's all made by her sister. I loved it. I have not worked on my sweater today but I will tomorrow and until the next class.        

SWEATER KNITTING 101

Last week I took a big step and signed up for an Aran Sweater knitting class. The class started 06/05/2013 and we will meet every Wednesday in June. The Randolph Arts Guild offered the classes. A friend of mine from work saw the article about in the paper and cut it out for me. All the ladies in the class seem very nice and the instructor was very nice and very patient. I finished the first 12 rows during the class. The classes are 2 hours long. I feel like the price for the 4 week class was good also only $40.00, you have to buy your own supplies. Don't get all crazy about this but since it is my first sweater I am using an acrylic yarn!!!, I brought it at Hobby Lobby it is I Love This Yarn! I went with Graymist. I have added two rows tonight plan to add another row or two before I go to bed. I am worried that I will mess up my cables. This weekend I plan to go to a yarn shop in High Point to participate World Wide Knit in Public Day. I am not sure if I will take the sweater to work on or a baby washcloth. I am afraid I might lose my place in the pattern because I am sure a lot of talking and comparing project will happen.         

Spending time with my Daughter

Went to the NC Wine Festival with my daughter today. We had a great time and sampled a lot of great wine. We brought a bottle or two home.

It is time to get your gardening on!

Last week I planted Cilantro in a large container and put it at the end of my deck. It has come up and I hope I can get it to live. I love Cilantro!. This week I planted Mesclun salad mix and the spinach in two containers. Getting a little reading, knitting, and crochet. This month I am working on a knit baby blanket added one row today.  Long weekend coming and I am glad this will give me a chance to read and knit.

TOUR D' COOP 2013

Great day with my Daughter, Niece and my daughter's little sister, my daughter volunteer's with Big Brother's/Big Sister's. We went to Urban Ministries Of Wake County's Tour D' Coop, you donate money or can goods to Urban Ministries get a map of people in the city limits of Raleigh & Cary neighborhoods that keep chicken's. We had a great time saw some awesome coops and  neighborhoods and beautiful gardens.  I love Raleigh and I wish I could live there, I could not drive in Raleigh. The traffic is horrible.

Lost Pattern Found!!!!!

 I found the pattern I kept thinking about it and it was driving me crazy. I had to find the patten. Then I remembered the fact that I crocheted this afghan for a friend of mine when she was having a baby. So I thought about it and I went back through my post to see if I posted a blog about the afghan. Sure enough I had ! It is the Progressive Pattern Stitch Afghan Designed by Julie A. Bolduc, you can find the pattern at  http://www.jpfun.com/  . Now all I need to do is figure out where I am in this pattern and how to get started. I might need to start a new afghan to figure out what I need to do. It is a fun pattern and once you get the hang of it an easy pattern. Sometime this weekend I plan to cast on a Basketweave Pattern I found this pattern on the label of a skein of yarn. I brought the yarn at Benjiman Franklins neat Concord a few years ago. It is Premier Yarns Baby Collection .      

Crochet

I have been spending a lot of my time crocheting since March. So far I have finished two Beth's Little Star Afghan by Beth Parsons. I am almost finished with a 3rd. I have the yarn ready for a ripple I have a pattern Zowie's Zigzags Afghan by Liz Lafferty , French Vanilla Patterns. I will try to remember to post a picture of the yarn for the ripple this week. I have a mystery UFO. I started the pattern I think 5 years ago put it down forgot about it and rediscovered it this weekend. I did not put the pattern with the UFO and now I can't find the pattern and I don't remember the website to find the pattern. I do remember that it is a corner to corner pattern, but not diagonal pattern because this pattern has a chain 3,  single crochet along with the 3 double crochet shell. Any help to find the pattern will make me a very happy person. Posting a picture of the afghan.

It took a long time to finish

Finally finished the baby afghan that I've been working on for month's. Gave it to my friend at work. She really like it and said she could still use it for the baby. Moved on to a new crochet project. Almost finish reading If Hooks Could Kill, by Betty Hechtman. Happy crafting. I will need to wait a few more weeks before I can start the garden. I can plant some potato's. Plan to get a few starters this weekend.     

Long Weekend coming to a quick end!

Already it is Sunday night and my nice long weekend is almost over. It started on Friday with a trip to Costco and then home to get ready for salt fish and grits. My Sister and her family came over and my Aunt and her family. Had a great time and the salt fish was great. Spent time cleaning my bedroom and closet. Gave away some yarn that I will never use and a lot of books took them to Goodwill, I hope they did not throw the yarn away, I gave away some pretty good books. Then worked on and finished my crochet project posting a picture tonight. Also made a great attempt to finish the baby afghan for my friend a work.  Church today and then to my Aunt's house for dinner. Tonight is Game of thrones HBO.       

Windy cold day!

Well spring has sprung in North Carolina but it is really hard to tell. I feel like we are still in the middle of winter. March as always is very windy but the cold makes things seem a lot worse. Tomorrow is hum day and then only one day left and we will have a nice long weekend. Our agency will be closed on Good Friday and I am ready for the day off and a long weekend. We have our salt fish in the freezer. I did a little fur grand dog sitting last week and this weekend. I love the dogs but two Chihuahua's is like having an army. Finally in honor of National Crochet Month I started an afghan. Still trying to finish the knit baby afghan for my friend at work. I need to put on a big push this weekend because she will return to work on Monday and I need to have the afghan done. Since I have a long weekend  I am sure if I push myself it will get done. Game of Thrones starts this Sunday on HBO love it!!! . Happy National Crochet Month! .  

The Lost Finally Returns

I have not blogged in a long time. It seems winter even a mild one leaves me feeling lost, and depressed. I have not worked on much still trying to knit a baby blanket for a friend at work, and still trying to finish reading 3 books. It is not because I don't like the books I really do. They are from some of my favorite author's. Barbara Bretton's Spells & Stitches, Sally Goldenbaum's A Fatal Fleece, and Betty Hechtman's If Hooks Could Kill. I did manage to listen to a great book on my kindle and I loved it! . Last Wool and Testament: A Haunted Yarn Shop Mystery, by Molly Macrae. It is the first book I have by this author. February was a bad month for me. My Grandmother died she was 97 she died 02-03-2013. I she had lived on 02-23-13 she would have turned 98. My birthday was on the 16th.  I am always down when my birthday arrives. I look back on my life and wonder what I have accomplished and I really feel like I have not accomplished anything. I am trying to be happy because today is my Daughter's birthday she's 26. I can't believe so much time has past and how quickly  time goes by. March is also National Crochet Month and I have not crocheted at all. Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day and we have 2 Corned Beef Brisket seasoned and waiting in the refrigerator. Yes I know this is an American thing, never the less, we have the cabbage and I plan to make green potatoes. I hope every one's winter crafting went better than mine. The weather is warming up and I hope to do better in my crafting life.

Great Day!

Wonderful day today! It is the Martin Luther King holiday and Inauguration Day. I did not have to work today due to the Martin Luther King holiday and I have watched all the Inauguration events. I cook the goose that I brought after Christmas. I am very excited. I  have not knit, crocheted since one day last week. I finished listening to the last book in the Fifty Shades Series. It was a pretty good read. I am not sure what all the excitement was about. The part I really did not enjoy about the books was the emailing back and forth. I am posting a picture of the goose that I cooked. It was my first goose and I think it turned out pretty good. I followed Gordon Ramsey Spiced Goose recipe  on YouTube. Happy crafting! The best thing about the rest of this week is it is only a 4 day work week.

The path to good health

Well today was my first time back at Zumba since sometime in November or maybe October. I need to lower by blood pressure and cholesterol. My daughter has started to plan her wedding at this time it is set for April 2014, she has lots of decisions to make and lots of money to save. she's thinking about getting a part time job. It pains me to say that I am no able to help her, at least at this time I can't think of anything. We went to a bridal show on Sunday it was a small show and we got the chance to taste a lot of wedding cake. Weddings can lead to a lot of money between trying to find a venue, photographer, caterer's oh my the money the money. So I need to lose weight because I don't want to be he over weight mother of the bride.  I have added a few rows to the baby afghan yesterday and today I want to try and finish it before my friend at work starts her maternity leave. I am listening to the final book in the Fifty Shades Series so far so good I am not sure how the series will end. I have a love at relationship with the couple. Zumba again tomorrow. Happy crafting.

Happy New Year!!

It's the first day of the year. We did the normal New Years day meal  and had most of the family over for dinner my daughter and her fiance, my sister and her husband and one of my niece's. Today is my sister and her husbands wedding anniversary 28 years today. I've added a few rows to the Diagonal Comfort Blanket it is a new blanket in a solid color. I still can't bring my self to rip of the one I  have been working on for months. I have a yarn shop in High Point that use to have a knit and crochet dr, it was only $5.00 per hour. I will call and see if I can bring it in on Saturday. Still listen to the second book in the Fifty Shades series and still don't understand the excitement. I am ready for a new year of crafting and gardening. I not sure what I should do about my soil it is in bad shape, but I might not be able to resist trying again this year . My Totally Tomatoe's seed catalog arrived in the mail a few weeks ago and I am ready to order  they have Tomatillo seeds! .