Hagar's Blanket

I'm making a throw for my son's team leader.   She asked, what could I say but of course!   What colors I asked?   Black, Red and Gold.   O k a y.   Not a problem.    So the creative part of me was called upon.   I'm not always too creative, and sometimes don't think ahead.   I now need to have 800 yards of yarn finished by May 1st.    Although if it isn't done by the time they get back in country it will be okay, it isn't a if she will be able to use it before next fall anyway, since they are in the deep south and it is already hot down there.


Here's phase 1

National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day

Oh what a happy day this can be!  And they are good for you.  Chocolate is made from cocoa beans (vegetable) and raisins are from grapes (fruit).  So eating an entire box of raisinettes should afford you most of your daily serving of  fruits and vegetables for a day.   (I once justified the nutrition value of cookies for breakfast to my mother.)

However there is no congressional record or presidential proclamations for National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day.   I think someone, somewhere needs to start a movement. 

Sweater

I'm making another sweater.   Maybe I'll finish this one in a timely fashion too - maybe.   My sister and Iwere in Fletcher this fall at the fiber festival and of course when we were done with class, we had to shop.   This festival isn't quite as large as Maryland Sheep & Wool, but all the vendors are in the arena   So cold or rainey, once you're inside, you're good.   In fact this year they expanded to some of the out buidings as well  Way fun. 

Anyway we of course stopped at Brooks Farm to see what we needed and both fell in love with a sample sweater.   I'll find the pattern later.   Then we decided we didn't like the yarn it was made from so hunted and came up with Mas Acero.   In the same color.  

Last night I decided to be a big girl after I'd read an article on swatching and I decided I would actually swatch and do it right for a change.   That means, knitting up a good amount, washing it and then hanging i to dry to see how it does.   The article had a good point that you should was it as you mean to wash the finihsed garment and then when you hang it to dry, weigh down the bottom a tad to see how the yarn will hang when it is done.   As I can attest, I made a sweater and got gague.  Loved the sweater.   By the time it was done it could fit a giant because the yarn was heavy when completed.  It had mohair in it.   It is still waiting for me to frog.

So here's my just before the wash sample.  I started on US 7 and decided that might be a little tight, so switched up to US8 (where the floss is in case you can't tell).   It is still a bit stiff so  I'm hoping that the wash will relax the yarn just a tad.

Please

Could I please have a new bed?

Micro-Managers/Wannabe Boss and Knitting

I'm working a job as a temp right now.   It's okay.   I like the people.  There isn't a lot to do, so it is a no stress job which after the last 6 years I really need.   However, there is the self assigned "office manager" here.    She isn't really the office manager althought that is how she introduced herself to me on my first day.   I said okay, cool.   She is really the paralegal of the legal department.   Granted she does have seniority over the two legal secretaries - me being one - and for heiarchy matters i suppose she is my supervisor.   However quite frankly if there is a problem, you can be assured I'll be either talking directly with the person I have the problem with or the General Counsel here.    But then as I keep forgetting, if someone has a problem, they are suppose to go NOT to the person with whom they have the problem but to "personnel".  ack.

So every day I get my hand slapped by this person.   It is her way or the wrong way.   Doesn't matter if there are many different ways to get the same end result.   I put part of it down to the fact that all the attorneys but one are retired military officers.  She is former service member, but not an officer.   So right there there is a rank and file issue. (hers)   Me?   Yeah.  Right.   My dad was an officer, most of my friends dad's were officers.   I really didn't give a crap.    I was not the most popular girl at the country club.   I don't care who your dad/brother/uncle/grandfather/godfather is.   And why are you telling me?   But that is a story for another day.

There has also been speculation from a few friends and family that she's worried I'm after her job.  Nope.  Not interested.   Not just saying that either.   I want to come to work.  Do my work.  Go home on time.  No overtime, no weekends, no fuss no muss.   Been there, done that.   So of course my attitude doesn't quite mesh with hers.  My mouth is also a problem and I have been bitting my tounge a lot - I truly do know how to behave out in public.  And I suppose that my non challant attitude doesn't help matters.   She must be wondering what I'm up to.  

Yesterday I sent out the morning FYI.  My email simply said:     Stanley is at a conference.

I didn't say where because it is listed on the calendar for everyone to see.   I had a moments thought that maybe I should put where he was exactly, but then decided no, they could look if they wanted to know.

Her e-mail to me was:    He is attending a meeting.   We don't use at.  

So, it is a matter of 7 letters.   Doesn't it mean the same thing?  Apparently not.

Todays morning FYI was fine (so-and-so is on leave this morning) but then there was a change two hours later so I did as previously and painfully instructed, and pulled my original note, and changed the subject line to say   FYI - Update   and then said what it was and forwarded it to only a select few.

Her email to me was:   This is wrong it should say FYI - STATUS Update.

Okay, well if they didn't figure out it was a status update when I said so-and-so is now NOT coming in at all, perhpas they shouldn't be allowed to work here.

Knitting News:

My friend asked me to knit two baby hats one for new granddaughter, one for the 1 year old granddaughter.  Not a problem I said.  I got one done - it took way longer than I anticipated.   The other one is coming slowly along, I have almost the 2 inches of ribbing done, and then just have to do the stupid bobble like things, but they aren't bobbles - because I really hate those and then the top which is only about 3 more inches.   On size 5 needles.   Baby Yarn.    Then she asked if I'd make the third granddaughter a scarf out of some yarn she found   SURE!   it is really soft and I'm digging it, and started it last night because thanks to Ravelry I found an appropriate pattern for the yarn.  So three little girls will have their easter stuff grandma ordered for them.   Why do I do these things to myself?

Hagar's throw is not going to be done before she comes home.   I really wish it would be, but I just don't see it happening.  For some reason the stockinette stitch is not my friend  right now.  But as soon as I get the hats and scarf done, I'm going to work at least 15 minutes a day on it.  Yeah right.  

I've got one sweater I want to finish for me and another one to start before spring really arrives.  I'm sitting here in an office freezing and I only see that getting worse.   Oh yeah, then there is another sweater to finish, although that one isn't appropriate until fall so maybe it can wait until August - oh no, I'm suppose to be doing a KAL in July/August.   And then there's another sweater in line, I have the pattern and the yarn . . . .

I also have to finish felting my french slippers - they are almost down to size, my washer isn't cooperating.  And actually if I'd get off my duff and get them shrunk the rest of the way, then I could put the tab and buttons on them, put anti slip stuff on the bottom and be DONE.   Maybe I'll work on those tonight while I'm knitting away.

I'm sure there's more, but I'm all better for the time being :)

Reflection and Change

It is the beginning of March and how exactly did THAT happen?   I like the idea of revisiting your "resolutions" from the beginning of the year, or whenever you set them, and I'm liking the idea even more of revisiting them every month just to be sure you're on track.

I'm not exactly on track, but I'm not off either.   The last several months have been a limbo state for me, where I'm trying to figure out what Iwant to do about employment and where I want to be in five years.     Rich and thin don't count as valid goals unfortunately.  So while I don't have a new "permanent" job, and the working for myself is great but as we all know, not exactly helping my bank account grow.   I am surviving and I really think I deserve more than that.  So, I'm applying for a full time, permanent job.   They fortunately want me, me?  well, I like them well enough and I'm smart enough to know that I'd be really stupid to pass this offer up, so now will start the application process.   It can take 60 days.  

Have signed up for school (again).  I'm in the process of purging the clutter out of my house, I'll be far enough along I hope by the this summer that I can really load up on credit hours and get this done finally.  I'm giving myself until Spring 2012 and I will be done.  Well, not done, because sometimes classes are just fun to take, but I'll have a piece of paper that says I've finally accomplished something besides taking a bunch of "fun" classes.

I've got lots of knitting that needs to be done and little time in which to do it.   I have two hats to make, one is half done and one row actually took me 3 hours to do!  three hours.  one row of 88 stitches.  to be fair it has bobble type thingys on it, but still.   NOT feeling the love.   Must get crackin.  Once it is done, there is another slightly larger one needing attention.    Then I've got Hagar's Throw.   Started it, but made it probably bigger than I should have so it is going to take longer than I want.   That baby due in June needs to be late at this point.   And in two weekends I'm going on a mini spinning retreat in WV with my sis and a few friends.   Will connect with spinners and knitters who hopefully live closer to home.   The retreat we usually go on every year is in NC and gets people from as far away as Michigan and Florida.   Its fun and great to meet new people, but I'm ready for some closer to home fiber friends.   Makes it easier to stay in touch.

Gotta run, can't take the bus to the Pentagon this morning becuase of some dumbass, so must hop a ride to the closest metro station, ugh.