Is this what Murphy's Law feels like?

So, today has been a rough day....

The hubby and I left for Texas today, and no, we're not visiting family. We are down here to visit friends from Penn State! I don't know that I would be here if it were for any other reason.

It all started with Dan.....So we asked our friend to drive us to the airport, sometime between 1000 and 1030.......apparently, there was a disconnect and he thought PM, rather than AM! So at 1030, we're freaking out and trying to get a hold of our friend, no such luck. So we toss our stuff into my car, turn it on....no gas....shit.

The hubby's car has gas and we zoom off to the airport, having no idea where parking lots are or how long the shuttle take to get to the terminal. We finally make it to the airport, whew! Boarding the plane goes pretty well. Then we sit at the terminal for 45 min waiting for a connecting flight! We wouldn't have panicked if we had known....

Ultimately, we made it into Houston (Hobby) only to find out that our friends thought we were coming into the other airport (IAH). Luckily, they had figured that out during our 1 hr delay getting into Houston.

We had a lovely dinner at a real rib shack, that was quite tasty. Swung by the liquor store for some fun and then picked up snacks at the grocery. We leave the grocery store and the car started making awful noises. Turns out, the rack-and-pinion steering the Jeep went. We made it far enough to get to the mechanic.

The benefit is that the mechanic drove us to our friends home and will come and pick us up in the morning and provide a rental. Though it really sucks for our friends, considering that this is the second time the car has broken when we were involved with it.

Overall, it's been a kind of crappy day. Luckily we are all crazy enough to laugh at the stupidity of it all. That and we have a lot of alcohol to make us forget...

Maybe tomorrow will be better.

Am I making this too complicated?

So, I've determined to start the shrug found here this weekend. I had bought the yarn a while ago, according to the pattern (the largest size). I've swatched and I have all the right needles. However, I did some thinking......dangerous, I know.

The measurements in the pattern for the shrug are only for the length from center back to your wrist and your underarm to center back. So I had my husband measure me. Based on just those two factors, I need a Medium (I'm short).

Now, I'm not a small person and I came to the realization that perhaps the arm size around wouldn't be large enough. So I did some math, hopefully correctly, and found out I need more stitches than the pattern calls for. Unfortunately, I promptly got confused as to how to deal with that fact. I think I figured out how many stitches I need up near the shoulder, but down near the wrist.....using the proportional amount according to the pattern would be huge.

How in the world should I account for this? This is my first sweater type project, so having to make modifications right off the bat is difficult. Though I have not found a pattern that accounts for my size.

The other problem? If I just add the stitches (not worrying about how big the wrist will be) and just do it according to the pattern with more stitches, I'm most likely going to run out of yarn. Not sure how different other dye lots are. Pretty much guaranteed I won't get a match.

What makes me want to cry? I'm still under the rules of my "diet," I can't buy the yarn even if I could find something with that dye lot!

When does one call it quits?

Going Around

So, I'm home sick today. Blech. I was out on Monday because my stomach wasn't right. It had been bugging me all weekend and it was a lot worse on Monday. Woke up on Tuesday with a sore throat, but the stomach was better. Decided to go in and leave early if I started to feel worse. Unfortunately, I started feeling worse, but didn't get out early. Last night this bug hit me like a ton of bricks. Totally knocked me out.

Today, I decided to stay home because I still feel crappy and I wanted to get some rest. So, I've worked on this a little:

This is the brim to my Ring of Cables Hat, it's not the full length yet. I like it so far. The yarn though is a little fuzzier than I was expecting. I can't wait to start striping with the brown yarn.





Here's a picture of my gloves....these were my January project, unfortunately, I'm behind.

I still love the coloring. Only 4 more fingers to go!







I haven't been very productive knitting wise. I'm just a slow knitter. Though I do like what I'm working on currently..... I'm watching a strange movie. It's called 23 and stars Jim Carrey, not a good movie, but weird.

A few weeks back I started organizing my stash. I don't have a draw big enough for it now and it's currently sitting on the living room floor. But before that I put it on the bookcase. I thought these were particularly humorous pictures....










Shows you what kind of books we read. Actually, most of these are the hubby's and I'm just reading through them.

Anywho, I'm tired now. Going to lay down a bit....

The Harlot Is Coming! The Harlot Is Coming!

I just found out today that the Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, is coming to Annapolis! Woot! I'm excited. She was within driving distance last year and I missed it due to obligations. This year, this year I am going!

If you're going (and you read this), let me know! It would be fun to have folks to go with.

That's it, it's time for a Diet

Today I spent the day hiking part of the Appalachian Trail from Keys to Harpers Ferry. Oh my am I out of shape. I may have mentioned that my friend Dan, his dog Bauer, my dog Emmy and I are going to try and walk the whole Appalachian Trail. Not all at once, so don't think I'm crazy, but in pieces. Total with the walk to the the cars we did ~6 miles. However, the first 2 miles were brutal! It was a significant uphill climb. I know I'm out of shape, but I definitely felt it today.

So, I'm talking about a diet. Which will involve both my yarn and I. I've been looking at my yarn and needle collection and keep thinking I need to use it. Then I tried to make my resolution about knitting one project a month. That went out the window, I just can't get the stupid gloves done. I still love them, but..... so hard to get myself to work on it. But I digress...

I have resolved that I cannot buy anymore knitting related anything until I lose 10 lbs. I'm thinking I may try to extend that for every 10 lbs. I can only buy at 10, 20, 30, etc.... Not sure how that will work out and will most likely need to reevaluate after a period (to make sure it's still interesting). This is inspired by Large Marge's Lenten sacrifice (not sure if that has an actual name). Of course I may need to re-work this a bit to coincide with MD Sheep and Wool since it will be my first year going.

It's a good compromise I think. It'll force me to use some of my stash while encouraging me to lose weight. I decided this today while I was cursing up and down the Appalachian Trail.

So, I bought this pattern (before this decision):
There was an advertisement for this in the new Interweave Knits. It caught my eye and I fell in love. This was the first pattern I ever purchased. I generally like books or free patterns. I just couldn't resist.

This will now factor into my diet also. The yarn for this awesome pattern will be a big goal purchase. Somewhere between 30 and 50 lbs. I think.




Also, I started this hat:
I'm using the recommended yarn of Knit Picks Swish Superwash. However, for the cable band I'm going to use the Capri color (which is blue) and then I'm going to stripe the Capri with Truffle (a brown).

Modification: I'm going to add a ponytail hole with a pretty little button to keep it closed should I decide not to wear a ponytail.

My whole motivation for making the hat is snowboarding. I had a major problem with my hair/hat/goggle combo. It was all due to my ponytail and not being able to wear it in a good place.

Now, I'm tired. So I'm going to lay on the couch and vegetate until the movie is over.....Which movie? Shoot 'Em Up, which is hilarious and some how wrong.

Starting Small

So I decided I wasn't going to make New Year's Resolutions, but goals instead. I've been trying to formulate a few goals since just before the New Year. Obviously, I haven't been thinking full-time on it.

My knitting goal, will be one project a month. This may not seem like much to some other knitting folks, but I am slow in working on my projects. So maybe this will work to get me moving on other projects. Now, there is nothing saying I can't do more than one in a month, but at least one a month must be completed.

The project for January is those silly little gloves I've been working on. The second one is started and most of the weaving in is done for the first one. I have a few projects in mind for the coming months, but I also need to remember the time of year we're going into. Just need to make sure I'm not knitting a sweater in July.

Other goals? Well, another is to work very hard on controlling my food allergies. I have been less than diligent in avoiding my allergens. Mind you these allergies are not the type that will kill me, but make me feel really icky. So that I've been successful on so far.

Such things like that, obviously health and wellness is a big part. Another is some house work. Goals to spruce up the kitchen and make it look different, do some refinishing, etc. etc. Should be interesting work as long as I get my butt moving.

Happy New Year! Now Let's Catch Up

Ok, so maybe I wasn't as back as I thought I'd be. There has been a total lack of desire to do....just about anything since school ended. We didn't even end up decorating for the holidays. All was not lost though, the husband and I traveled north to visit the in-laws and my parents. They had decorations and it was good.

So, time with my in-laws is always fun. Got to hang out with the niece and nephew. Thomas is getting big, he is definitely a hefty child. My niece.....well there is no doubting she is a total drama queen. I love her to death, but wish I could dial her back sometimes.

There'd be pictures here if, doh, we hadn't left the camera at my sisters....So this will be a not so colorful posting!

At my parents my Aunt and Cousin came for the holiday. I haven't seen my cousin in like 14 years or something like that. A really long time. Believe me when I say that my Aunt and Cousin are TOTAL maniacs. They are funny as anything and it was a good time.

Tonight, New Year's Eve, we are headed to The Walthours to fry ourselves some turkey and whatever else happens to fall into the pot. Should be tasty!

I finally got the yarn for this, I'll be making this in Berroco Cotton Twist in black. I haven't yet cast on, because I'm trying to get my husband to measure me to make sure I have the right measurements. We wouldn't want my arms looking like sausages now would we?

The gloves that I love are only half done. I have a few weave-ins left on the first glove and started the second. I just need to sit and knit sometime.

Oh and great news! I got a snowboard! I would put a picture except for the reason posted above about leaving it.... It's grey with a Praying Mantis on it. The Praying Mantis is the whole reason I wanted it, talk about girl power.

Anywho, HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! Hopefully, the year will hold all the good things you're looking for.