Friday, January 23, 2009

Let's try Something New

It’s been days since I posted. I finished the shrug except for blocking it and I think it will be perfect for on the boat this spring. I still need to get pictures of it.
I finished Megan’s socks, but she hasn’t seen them yet. She’s away at school and I didn’t think to send them up with my son when he went to visit.
I spent part of the day on Tuesday trying Entrelac on my machine. I’m doing it on the LK150 and I haven’t quite figured it out yet. It seems like it should be easier than it is. It’s the last triangle on the second row that’s giving me fits. I can’t seem to get my head around it. I’m going back this afternoon to work on it some more and see if it finally sets off the light bulb in my brain.
I’ve added squares to my Everlasting Blanket. Several were added during the time I spent while the folks at Symantec got my Norton squared away. I suppose that next year I will buy a new product instead of just renewing my subscription.
Still no DSL. It’s not in the budget this month. Maybe next month. Seems like I keep putting it off, but truthfully it’s not a necessity. I’d like to be able to do things more quickly, but I can remember when we got excited to connect at 9600 baud so I just keep reminding myself of those days.
Off to work on the Entrelac now. More later.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Short update

I should start by saying that yes, I have been knitting. I'm just over halfway done with Megan's socks which she hasn't seen yet.

I've also added squares to my Everlasting Blanket and I've cast on for the shrug out of my Flash. Then today I worked on a group project that will be a surprise for the recipient. I doubt she reads my blog, but why take chances so I won't say what the project is or who it's for. I will say that although I swatched it seems that I will have to redo my portion of the project because it's not the size that I expected or that I was planning on. Swatch, measure, let rest, measure, say a prayer, make item, measure, scratch head, remeasure swatch, scratch head. That was my day. Actually, I swatched several days ago and it should have been the correct size, but apparently it wasn't to be, unless after resting (more) and washing (acrylic, so no real blocking) there is a miracle. Ah well, it's a good thing I like the process as much as the finished items.

In other areas of my life, I have gotten back on the exercise wagon and I'm again watching what I eat. I even downloaded an application for my new Ipod Touch to help me track calories. As much as I like Sparkpeople.com and I do it's easier to input my stuff into the Ipod than it is to go online and do it. It seems to go faster and I don't have to worry about remembering if I'm not at home and don't have internet access. So far so good. I've gone over on my calories a couple of times, but neither was a big fall and I just try again the next day. I'm aiming for at least 30 minutes of walking at least 5 days a week with some weight training and pilates thrown in. I also downloaded a yoga video workout to try. It can't hurt to have more options. It's cold out and I really don't want to go hiking or to the track to walk or jog in the cold.

Hopefully, I will finish my shrug sometime this weekend and also the socks. I need to seam some hats or I won't be able to keep up. I don't think I'm going to have the 52 that I wanted to have at the rate I'm going. I did give one to my grandson last week when he came to visit without a hat and the wind was out of the north. Brr.

I just seem to have more things to do than time to do them some days. Maybe the next time I just don't seem to be ready for bed I should go in and spend some time on the knitting machine. Maybe I should spend less time on Ravelry. Naw, that can't be the right answer.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

To switch or not to switch

That would be the question if it didn't take me longer to download one podcast to my new IPod Touch than it takes to listen to three of them while knitting. As soon as I can afford to do it I'm going to check into DSL. Let me just say that this may not happen. Something about the fact that I'm eligible BUT (and isn't there always a but) if the lines have a splice or some such thing or I'm too far from some place I need to be then I can't get DSL after all. I refuse to pay (and can't afford to even if I was willing) what they want for sattelite internet and I can't get cable internet where I am because I can't even get cable where I am. Wouldn't be bad if I didn't like to stay connected to the world in general and the knitting world on a regular basis. Well, now that that particular rant is off my mind I can move on...
I finished another hat for Caps for Kids and I swatched some Classic Elite Flash that I got at one of my favorite places, Natchez Needlearts. Not long after I did the swatch (which hasn't been treated yet so I don't know if I have enough for the tank for me or if it's destined to become a t for my granddaughter) I heard on Ravelry that the store had closed it's doors. Now I only get there about twice a year and I know they couldn't count on me to keep them in the black, but it was one of my favorite yarn stores and one of my favorite places to visit in Natchez. I'm a little bummed. I also feel like I'm in jeopardy of losing my other semi-local yarn stores in this economy. I hope not, but I know that they can't count on me to keep them in the black either if I'm going to keep us from being too far in the red.
2009 is a year for me to drop some pounds from my body. Luckily, my recent check up said that things were really good. Cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, kidney function, thyroid...everything they checked, including the mammogram. Got to love the annual "compression test". It's also a year to whittle down the stash of acrylic yarn that I have been given and to whittle down what bills and debt I can.
Happy New Year everyone.