2008 Questions and answers aka meme

Heck, not 2008, just 40

These are questions from my co-worker's facebook, and she gave me permission to use these here.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you've never done before?
caused a car accident









2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make any, ever. But I might try to draw/paint more in 2009.












3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
they were in the hospital, and I was not there, I wouldn't know what to do anyway.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
no,they died far away from me.

5. What countries/states/provinces did you visit?
Oregon, New York state, B.C (airport, that counts?)

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
more money, is there anything else anyone hopes to have these days?

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I can't even remember what I did yesterday, never mind a whole year.

8. What was your biggest achievement?
I stayed alive

9. What was your biggest failure?
see number one

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
bronchitis

11. What was the best thing you bought?
yarn, what can I say?

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Anyone who saved lives, took care of less fortunate,
helped others, you got the idea?

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and disgusted?
Don't ask me why, but our mayor comes pretty close, and I can say
it, because I did not vote for him

14. Where did most of your money go?
bills, bills, bills

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
my trip to Portland, Oregon and meeting Janet and many of my
freeform group friends.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Mr. Tambourine Man

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a)happier or sadder? the same
b) thinner or fatter? the same
c) richer or poorer? the same

18. What do you wish you'd done more ?
behave more assertive, and be more aware of "politics"

19. What do you wish you'd done less ?
be so dang naive and believe what people say

20. How will you spend New Years?
at home with hubby, watching telly, eating empanadas, and sandwiches

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
sure, hubby gets that all the time

22. How many one-night stands?
like standing up all night? what the heck is one night stand? Lamp on a stand?












23. What was your favorite TV program?
Just one? House, CSI, Mentalist, Medium, Bones, .... etc

24. Do you dislike anyone now that you didn't dislike this time last year?
Yes, but I refuse to talk about politics,

25. What was the best book you read?
I have not finished one book yet, started about three, none of them
best books

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Music in my ears, the 24/7 string quartet in my ears.

27. What did you want and get?
ipod

28. What did you want and not get?
Lotto 6/49 jackpot

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Sleepless in Seattle, ouch, that's not this year's film. I think it's the one of a rat that
became a chef, in a French restaurant. I hope that was a 2008 film, if not, then I don't know.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I went to work, staff gave me a lunch and got many nice gifts. Old? I forgot.
Had nice dinner with hubby.
One birthday I remember, I cried a lot, and I was one day old.

31.What one thing would have made your year measurably more satisfying?
Had I finished all my craft projects before Christmas

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Same as always, if it fits and doesn't cost too much, labels don't do a thing for me.

33. What kept you sane?
My insanity

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you like the most?
Hillary Clinton

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
The Canuck socialist/liberals being a..holes

36. Who did you miss?
Carol at CGOA, she didn't come to Portland.

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Janet

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Don't turn left in the intersection, even if the car coming straight comes
slowly, they will accelerate, trust me, I know

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE"
words and music by Pete Seeger

40. What is your goal for 2009?
Go to Argentina in May

Scarf progress

This is my first scarf, for the Special Olympics.
The second one is still hooked.

Back to almost normal

This is a decorated box for our grandson.










I went to a grocery store today. This store always has a nice collection of knitting and crocheting magazines. Well, this time they did so, but unfortunately I already had all of them. I felt let down.
I started checking the book section, and bought Sue Grafton's "T is for Trespass". I have read only a few chapters and am somewhat confused. I have to get back to read more carefully about who is who. I hate that in the books, when it's not a clear flowing theme, but all mixed up with different characters that are not cleared from the beginning, but instead jumped to here and there.

Well, I am finally starting to get the idea of these people in this book (maybe I just have not read enough books that were written in the style for modern people) (I haven't read any books for years).

I am going to use every willpower molecule in my attention span challenged mind to finish reading this book. I want to be able to tell my friend Janet that I have read a book.

Janet is a reader, and I am often wondering what happened to me. I was the busiest reader in our local library when I was young(er). Now you might see me with knitting or crocheting books, but that's about the size of my reading.

Christmas? It came and went. I ate too much on Christmas Eve. It was just hubby and I, but I still managed to make a many course meal. Nothing tasted excellent, though, but I ate anyway.

Christmas Day evening we went to my son's in-laws for dinner and gift exchanges. The little kids were tired and the adults were chatting and waiting for the food.
I had made a box for GS with Thomas the Tank stickers on it, but the kid didn't really care for it.
Oh, well, that is the Christmas Joy for you!

Today, Boxing Day, I have gone to the grocery store to buy coffee and look for magazines, like I said before. When I came home I had a cup of java, and then tried to work on Special Olympics Scarf. I had knitted about 11 inches, and then measured it. WOW, it was way too wide. My stich choice has this tendency to become stretchy and loose. I am now at a point of designing
another type of scarf, maybe crocheting.

So the Christmas is gone and I can sit down and eat my green pea soup, and be happy.
Simple things make me happy. Although, sometimes a big pile of yummy yarn would make
me happier than one single ball of yarn. Oh, that all depends.

If I need one ball of yarn for something, it would certainly make me happier than a pile of yarn that is meant for something, but not needed at that time.

White stuff

I was standing in our balcony, wearing a teeshirt and slippers. It was cold.

Christmas Cards

I received two beautiful, but oh, so different, hand-made Christmas cards:

This one is from Marjaliisa. It's made with fabric. Very beautiful, and unique.
This one is from Janet.
She had made it with interesting paper, and formed to a tree, as you can see.
Very creative as well.

Nice Dishcloth

My friend Gloria made this one, isn't it nice

Socks

Here is the latest project that took forever to finish. Well, for my defense, I had many interruptions, and attention span played tricks on me, plus some other projects seemed
far more interesting than socks that had no pattern. I am not an experienced sock knitter, as I have said umpteen times.

The socks were knitted with "Mission Falls" yarn, and size 4 mm needles.

The Cable pattern? 48 Stitches, divide stitches on four needles and k2,p2, k2, to the end. Do this for about 1 inch, or 2, if you want. Then for the Cable pattern: On the first needle, K2, P2, (The cable is: k2, p2, k2.) and it's time to twist the cable. This is what I did: From the left needle pick up two stitches (the two k2 ones), hold in front, then knit 2 (trust me, this is right...those two were purl stitches before), and the purl 2 (again, this is correct), then you knit the two stitches from the cable needle. This will take you back to your k2,p2,k2 pattern.

I twisted the cable every 7th (or 8th) row. Not sure, my row counter kept moving by itself, and the first twist looked right, so I just counted the rows from there on.

Continue for about 6" or more, if you want. Then it's time for the heel. At this point I needed to check a pattern in my sock book. I did k1, slp 1 pattern and purl the next row, until I had the desired rows. I needed to pick 12 stitches from the heel flap, later on. The rest of the sock, heel turning and sole plus toe part were carefully followed from my sock book. Cables I can do without pattern, but the whole sock...that is another story.

I've been quiet for some time, because I have had bronchitis, that has been so stubborn that
my doctor gave me antibiotics (strong ones) for 10 days. I still have one day left. He also gave
me cough syrup that is supposed to knock me down, and make me dizzy among other things.

I took half of the teaspoon on the first night, just to make sure I didn't suffer from any of those
ridiculous symptoms (ridiculous, because I am dizzy all the time,,,dizzy as in silly in mind).

Well, this strong cough medicine didn't do a thing for me. I was coughing the same way as before and didn't feel any dizzier than normally. Last night I took a full teaspoon. Nothing. I woke up
twice last night to cough. This morning I looked at the bottle more carefully: Chirldren's formula.

Well, guess who is going to get a phone call today. Not my doc, but that young chap at the pharmacist, who so much as warned me that I should not even drive when taking this medicine.

My regular pharmacist better be available today. He is NOT going to be happy, his assistant screwed up.

Off to work I go now. Have a great day all.

I found a scarf

or a capelet, or a small shawl (nah, not a shawl, it's too small for that). I knitted this thing
last summer. Or this past summer, ofps, summer of 2008.

I had gotten the fuzzy yarn, Foxy, if I remember correctly, at our Crochet group
retreat last spring. I also used some Moda Dea yarn that I got in a goodie bag
when I went to CGOA Chain link show in Manchester, in 2007.

Ok, the point to this is, that it is a yummy capelet, and I think it's a great gift for
someone in my friends or family group. I must decide soon.

Don't ya just love it, too!

Another fun list of things I have done

First Picture: Janet and I
Second: Bonnie Pierce, Noreen Crone-Findlay and I
Third: Margaret Hubert, Myra Wood, Noreen and Jorel Thomson
Fourth: Bonnie and Noreen
Fifth: Niagara Falls from Canadian side Looking at US Falls
Sixth: Crochet Dude and I
Seventh: Looking for my ancestors




This came from Janet's blog

I HAVE….

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disney/Land/world (FL)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar (ugh)
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

And…

100. Ridden an elephant

Scarf for Special Olympics

I have been waiting for blue Red Heart yarn to begin knitting a scarf for Special Olympics.

While waiting, I made a graph for a snowflake, and then tested with another yarn, blue and white as well. This yarn is Bernat yarn.
The test piece is not finished yet, but when done, I'll post another picture.
This might take a while, though, so please feel free to try on your own, but please not for selling, just for your own use, or for Special Olympics.

I knitted five rows of garter stitches, and then the chart with stockinette
stitch. There are four edge stitches that are garter stitches. There are 38 stitches in all.

Level: Moderately advanced. Knowledge of Fair Isle or Intarsia knitting.

This could also be crocheted.

One square is one stitch . For a scarf I would make a plain stockinette piece to cover
the yarn twists on the wrong side.

Thomas the Tank

Here is a picture of the back of the knitted chart

I did have fun trying to keep my sanity.

And here is the almost finished other side. I say almost, because the embroidery part has to be done, some loopy stitches to be tightened,
and any eyesores to be hidden.

Oh, and of course I need to finish rest of the sweater, like sleeves and the front.

For the rest of the day it's either starting the other part for this sweater,
or knit some more of the scarf for Special Olympics.

One other choice is to make some hot chocolate, take some Tylenol and
Sucrets, and hope that my sore throat is better tomorrow.

Knitting a little bit

Hahah, I've been doing nothing else but knitting. Starting many new projects. Finishing a few
WIPs. And just knitting something.

I've done two Moebius Cowls, A Birthday Cowl, and two pairs of socks for grandkids.

My latest project is to participate in a scarf program for Special Olympics team members.
Would you believe that it is practically impossible to get Delft Blue Red Heart yarn in my wonderful city. I've called nearly all WalMart stores, Michael Stores, and even some Zellers stores. No luck with finding this blue yarn.

Fortunately I have friends in the USA, and I have yarn coming to my eager fingers. There is
white yarn, yes, and I have started one scarf already with that.

I am not going to talk about my many WIPs, because that would make me anxious, because Christmas is almost here, and I have not finished any of the Christmas gifts I have intended to make.

Pink Halter Top

With Patons Grace,
Pink and Red

Hook: 3.5 mm

Time: about 4-5 hrs.

Knitting a hoodie

Friday, October 24, 2008

Here I am, trying to finish the second hoodie. The one with red and pink yarns.

Meanwhile I tend to do anything else but knit.
I got a sudden craving for a Jansson's Temptation casserole. But I don't have cream or anchovies.

I am on a mini vacation trying to finish my knitting WIPs for the grand kids, and then continue on with my own Kimono Jacket, that is waiting patiently on top of my hoodie yarn pile.
I'm on the hood part on the last hoodie, but my mind keeps wandering every this way and that.

There are too many things in my mind that knitting has become secondary.

I finished the hoodie, finally, and then I heard that our granddaughter really likes the yellow halter top I made for her in 2007. Now she likes pink. Guess what, I started one in Lily cotton yarn on Friday night. My intention was to continue with that yarn and decorate with some other colors.
However, the yarn is more peachy than pink, and I am somewhat crazy about that sort of thing, the color is not perfect, and it bothered me to a great deal. I am sure, Valen would like the halter top, no matter what color.

On Saturday morning I was getting ready for my babysitting event later in the afternoon.
I had the halter top start, design by Margaret Hubert, and three crochet books for toddlers.
I decided to go and visit my long-time yarn store friend, who has a small store
in the eastern part of our city. I have been going there for years. If I want Patons Grace,
or other good quality, not too expensive cotton yarn, I will go there.



This time I wanted pink Patons Grace. Sure enough, she had it, and then I got some
red to improvise the pink.

Needless to say, my hook for Grace was not in the right size, it was for the yarn I had
in my nice black, leather Jordana Paige bag. There I went again, at the hook section.
I found Aero, and Prym hooks and took one of each that might be good for my pink yarn.

On my way towards my son's home, I decided that my DIL needed socks for a birthday
gift, so I stopped at Zellers nearby. Went straight to the yarn section, where else? Haha.
I had almost given up, when I saw this beautiful charcoal colored yarn on the top shelf.

It was Bernat's Alpaca yarn, so soft that I had to feel it over and over again. There was
winter white skein of the same yarn, only one ball, and it looked with its big whitish
eyes at me, and begged me to make a date with that handsome charcoal skein.

Romantic as I am, I complied with that suggestion. Of course, then I needed needles.
Why, oh why they still sell needles in four-sets. I had to get two.
There was a nice surprise at the cash, the yarn was less than the sign on the shelf
had indicated. The needles were more expensive than the sign had said, or what
I thought it had said, but my total was still less than what I had calculated in my head.
I was never good in math at school, by this time of my life, I might have learned
a little bit more.

My babysitting subject, hehe, my grandson was sleeping, and I got into my knitting,
never mind the halter top. The birthday gift had to be done in a few days.

I got to the heel part, and happily did the decreases. Something looked really funny
in that area. I kept counting stitches, and counting decreases, but the bottom of
the heel was still strange looking. Finally my brain cells started receiving the smart
juices and I realized that I had not done that funny short row decrease thingy. (it's "turning
heel flap") It was time to frog. Fortunately the yarn is thick and I didn't lose any
stitches. The sock is now waiting for me to do the flap turning, but I had to find
a sock book that has the same amount of stitches as I do. The book I have for that
is "Not just Socks" by Sandi Rosner. I have made a few big socks, and the pattern
in that book is perfect.

I am not experienced sock knitter. I have done lots of cuffs, but not so
many heels. (in other words, lots of sock starts)

After frogging some of the sock, I put it aside, and started another halter top, the first one can
wait, since I had nice new yarn now. I crocheted quite a few rows, and fortunately it works up
quite fast, so I can get those two halter tops done in plenty of time before our SIL comes to visit.

It's Sunday morning, and I should be either knitting, or getting ready for some milk shopping, or doing laundry, or go to Purple Purl to visit the girls, but the way my mind works this day might
be anything but any of those ideas.

We'll see.

Cable Beret from Caron

Aaaawk, I am transforming to a cat!

I have whiskers growing on my chin.

Here is the pattern for my Cabled Beret that is now done. Everything else is still as a WIP, except the navy blue hoodie.

It was frigggging snowing when I was coming home from work
Here are two short videos showing, if you can see, snow in October 21st, 2008.

Blogger's block

It's been a while, once again.

I am drinking tea! With a little bit of milk and a touch of sugar, just to take the bitterness out. My tea is very strong, just like my coffee, when I make it.

What have I been doing? Knitting like a maniac. Two of our grand kids, live in S.A., their dad is coming to our city on business, in the beginning of November. He is going to stay for a few days, and I have decided to knit hoodies for both kids. One "Wonderful Wallaby" is done, the other is in very good state of startitis. The picture does not show the real color which is very dark navy blue. Showing that, the picture would be quite dark.

When I come home and have checked my e-mail, I sit down with my knitting and hope to get as much as possible done before our son-in-law arrives.

Well, this morning I had to go and visit a physiotherapist, since my extreme knitting has caused some unwelcome pain in my left hand, arm, shoulder blade, and shoulder. It's probably due to the way I sit. When I had tingling in my hands, my doctor told me that "change your sitting position". This was long time before my back surgery and testing for carpal syndrome. He doesn't even think that I am serious when telling him that I have a crazy leg syndrome.

He is semi-retired now, and I had a great young doc on Saturday morning, giving me the referral slip for the physio. I think it's time to start looking for a doc who is current with modern syndromes. Like knitting fingers, crazy legs and so on.

It's been a great day so far. Amazon delivery brought a book for me. Of course I had ordered it, but the amount of books I get from Amazon, they should just bring me some books for fun.

This newest babe in my collection is Nicky Epstein's "Knitted Embellishments"

I have not been able to check the book too much, but what I have

seen is great. Not that I will ever make anything from this book, but looking and imagining of making things has to be enough, for now. I want to add an applique of a car on the hoodie pocket. I'm

sure I can buy one somewhere.

A friend of mine had posted a link to a great block. The lady is in her 80s and writes about politics. Great humorous stuff.

http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com/

Yes, I voted yesterday. My guy didn't get in, but I voted.

Now I am entitled to complain if the government screws up. Pity that so many people who have the right to vote, didn't. I think only 59% of us voted. SHAME ON YOU ALL who didn't.

I am politically challenged, but I know when to use my civil rights.

The funny thing is that some of those who don't vote, scream and bitch the loudest about

how bad our government is.

I better stop now, before I get too many enemies.

Apple Hat and Cowl

All right then, another hat, and quickie Cowl done.

Pumpkin Hat and Cowl

This was one of those days that startitis hit me.
I had, at work, yarn for a pumpkin hat for my grandson; Kimono Jacket WIP and a hoodie WIP for my granddaughter.

I started the pumpkin hat at my lunch time, and continued when I came home. The pattern is a combination of several Pumpkin Hat patterns from the web. That is why there is no link to the pattern.

As the evening progressed, I started thinking of a gift for a friend, and spent almost an hour looking for yarn which was in my mind for the gift. Guess what, I didn't find that yarn, but found some other yarn that I started using. I also found a pattern almost immediately. It is listed in Ravelry, but linked to this blog. It is called "Quickie Cowl.

These are pictures of the yarn, and the start of the cowl for my friend.

She likes green, and I hope this
gift will please her.

Kimono Jacket

Here is my wip on Kimono Jacket, so far.

Do you like my blocking tools? (scotch tape)

There is no chart or drawing of the pieces with the pattern instructions, but I think that the wider part is one side of the back and the narrow part is part of a sleeve. I could be wrong, but nah, no.

I am loving this work, and can't think of anything else to make right now. Let's see how long this mood is going to last.

This morning I spent over an hour fixing pictures from my Portland trip (over 300 pictures in all), and then, duh, forgot to save the changes.

Must love Picasa, I went back to see if there are any interesting pictures (I had closed the dang thing), and there it was "save the changes?" WOW, I clicked on it, and all my changes are there in my files. Somehow I feel happy. Little things make me happy. Just like seeing all kinds of bridges when sitting in that Max train.

I'm still seriously thinking of knitting a hoodie, but have not found a pattern that I reeeeeellly like. There is a nice pattern in Big Girl's knitting book, called Susie Hoodie, which I like very much.

Startitis strikes again

I was to tell you more about Portland trip, but I got distracted with some new projects.
One of them is a Kimono Striped Jacket, pattern from Crystal Palace Yarns.

Since I am not even near feeling comfortable in those colors, I decided to make mine with colors that suit my whims. This is a sample of my new project.



I have done quite a bit already, and starting to increase stitches to over 280, ack!
Other than that, I have been checking my stash room and finding many UFOs that should be worked on as soon as possible.
However, as my startitis aches my being, I have not been able to work on one project for too long.

Here is some pictures from Portland, just to keep my promise of showing more pictures.




















I really like the costume Laurie was wearing. She even had her "hook" with her.






My freeform vest from the back.










I took a freeform
knitting class with Jenny Dowde. It was an interesting experience. I learned a few new tricks, and lots of inspiration. Jenny is a wonderful instructor, and her work is amazing.









My friend Janet and I spent a wonderful time together. We had smoothies every chance we got, and she told me how to make them at home. We went downtown, got some souvenirs and went to Powell's book store (of course). I bought Melissa Leapman's book "Hot Knits".

We also went to see the artesan, which was overwhelmingly large. I was dead tired by the time we had gone thru four aisles. That meant that we headed back to the hotel to take a rest before dinner and Fashion Show. Janet has some fashion show pictures in her blog.

I was pleased to meet Jorel from California and Bonnie from Washington state. We have "talked" by e-mails in our Freeform group, but meeting the person in real life is a wonderful experience. When I heard someone talking about me behind me, at a lineup in a cafe, I turned around and there was Vashti. WOW,
that was amazing. We had a quick hug, and some words and my smile lasted a long time after that. I guess until I started eating my lunch.










Of course I was also delighted to meet Margaret, Myra, Mel, Noreen, Pam and Crochet Dude, and many, many other friends from our International Freeform group.