My So Called Life

So I have started three knitting projects, which some might believe to be some sort of self flagellation, but in actuality is simply me on my first week of vacation. As most of you know I am not a person who can have lots of free time, I am just not used to it and need projects to give me something to do. And before everyone and their brother emails me, yes I am writing, the diss is coming along. I have partitioned off the day to work on that, but I now have the evenings to fill up and there is crappola on TV because all the seasons are over. Of course I could watch all the stuff I have on DVR that I didn’t have time to watch before, particularly a half season of Lost. I will of course get to that all, but right now I have chosen to use my time to knit.

As many of you know I have been toiling away at Steph’s blanket, what I have named the blanket that will not end. I decided that I needed a break from it because every time I picked it up I was reminded of the deer saga because I had been working on it about an hour before we hit the deer and put it away when Jeff remarked that if the airbags went off that I might lose an eye. So needing a beak from the blanket that would not end, I whipped up some booties for baby girl p, who better not come out baby boy p because I am also working on a sweater in pink. I am done with the back and have made some progress on one front side.
I have also picked out a blanket to knit the new edition; it is from Simple Knits for Cherished Babies and can be personalized with a letter in the center and I have wanted to knit it since I saw it. But I haven’t started. Why? Not because I don’t have enough yarn, when I mentioned needing more Jeff asked me to walk downstairs to revisit the stash that is over flowing the huge basket that can not contain it. It is simply because blankets take so much time, even when it is for a baby I almost don’t want to commit, but I must because new babies always need blankets and since I am under an edict straight from MomP that I may not crochet the blankets they must be knit. And if baby girl p does not have one, but her sister does I will pay for it some day. I can not be that aunt, I must be the favorite one!

The other project is one that I have wanted to do for awhile, but it required work, which means I had to rifle through the stash to find the left over yarn I wanted to use from the felted diaper bag. But I desperately need a notions bag, have needed one since last year when I lost mine. I quickly replaced my notions, not so much with the bag, so I have decided on this.
It is knitted in the round and called for circular needles, but I started it on DPN’s because I felt like it. I have since gotten over my rebellious streak and moved to the correct needles,
accepting that the author of Weekend Knitting might know a bit more than I do. I will update when I finish and felt. I am not too keen on that right now because of the broken dryer, I don’t want to use towels because then I would not have a way to dry them, I may, however use something else. I will have to think on this and suggestion will be accepted (but not ones that point out that someone who is almost a PhD, married to another PhD should use their brain to find some way to felt a damn bag).

That’s it! I’m cursed: Or the ontological implications of spiritual karmic belief systems

This is of course directed to everyone who has repeatedly assured me, constantly I might add, through the last year that in spite of all evidence to the contrary, that I am not cursed. And while all that chatter about life’s ups and downs is blah blah blahing in my head, I would like to list the myriad of things that I have been through in the past few weeks. Jeff’s brakes that had to be fixed twice while we were 500 miles away from home, the deer that decided to jump in front of us on I-70 outside of Dayton Ohio while we were driving MomP’s brand new car, Jeff’s robes not making it to grad, instead landing at home were we were not, a graduation card and check mysteriously disappearing from my purse (in all fairness I probably lost it) and last but not least, this morning the breaking down of my dryer while I was in the middle of five loads of laundry. I can honestly say that right now I feel like Charlie Brown who keeps falling down flat every time Lucy pulls the football away. I know that other people have it worse, and I can appreciate that, but this is my blog and so I can complain about anything I damn well please. I just wish that life could be a little easier, at least for awhile. All I ask for is a month, just one month where everything goes right, basically I just want to catch a break.

This latest football (see Lucy reference above) just really pisses me off. The warranty on that damn dryer just ran out six months ago, and Sears wants money just to get someone out here to look at it. Jeff and I spent the afternoon at the skanky Laundromat, which I should get used to because it will be at least a month before we can afford to get someone here to look at the damn thing. I thought, just for awhile, that I had gotten pasted the whole I am young, broke and need to go somewhere to wash my clothes. Having my own washer and dryer really made me feel good, like he grown up that I am supposed to be and it rankled to have to feed quarters into a machine to just dry my damn clothes. I guess that is what hurts the most (MomP might interject here that she misses her car more, this is true, but to point that out interrupts my narrative thrust). So am I cursed or is this just life? And if so whose life did I inherit? Do I have bad luck or am I having just a bad year? I have no idea, and I really don’t care at this point, but I will cease my ranting and self-pity, for no other reason then I can hear Jeff downstairs making me a snack, so all can’t be bad if someone is feeding me. And I have my health, but I won’t say that too loud because my insurance just ran out and I will now probably come down with some debilitating illness.

I will write some more later when I have pics of the pink booties I made when I needed a break from the blanket that would not end.

Knitting Again!

I know, I have been very lax about keeping everyone up to date on my knitting projects, but give a girl a break, it’s almost finals and I have students crawling out of the woodwork! Yes, that and I am very lazy about taking some pictures. But I am here now and promise to be much better about updating my knitting. Of course the problem is that I blog about what I am doing at the time and unfortunately knitting is something that too often gets pushed to the side when school and life become too hectic. I started knitting because I thought it would be relaxing, and it is, when I get to do it. Sometimes I look at the work piled on my desk and all I want to do is knit. I usually make deals with myself, I set goals that motivate me, if I get through so many papers, or write so many pages I get some uninterrupted knitting time. It is sad that I have to partition out my time like this, but such is the life of the academic. I am looking forward to the end of the semester, between spring and summer classes I will have four and a half weeks off. Now most of that time must be spent working on the diss, but no classes means no papers and no prep. I can work during the day and then knit at night. I also have a stack of books and movies waiting for me to have some free time. Believe me I will make the most of that time!

But enough about that, what you really want, what I have promised is that there will be pics of the newest works in progress. Now back in December I told Steph that I could knit her a blanket that she say at Linens N’ Things for way cheaper then what they were selling it for. Let’s just say that I overestimated my talents. I am almost done, but it has taken me way to long to get through a project with chunky yarn on 17 needles.
I am about 3/4th of the way through it, and I hope to be done by this weekend when I will see Steph, she will probably enjoy getting the blanket that she has been waiting for. I worked with Homespun, and I think that it is coming out really well. Jeff really likes it; he says that he wants me to get to work on one for us, of course in different colors to match our bedroom. Maybe I will become a knitter for hire, touring the country and selling hand knit blankets. Of course that would not be such a great use of the PhD. But I am excited that I can get Jeff to the cool yarn store in Kanawha City where I will go on a yarn extravaganza!

My second project I am super excited about, a pretty sweater for my new niece. I think it will be great because she is due in September and will be able to wear my pretty sweater right away. I have the great book Simple Knits for Cherished Babies, and it has some of the most beautiful designs.
I chose this one because I could rim it if I wanted, but it looks awesome without it. I am using a Lion’s Brand mohair mix. It is so soft and pink, like a cloud. I love, love, love it! Right now I only have the back done, but as soon as the blanket is done I will finish it. It is on tiny 3 needles, but it is for a newborn, so it goes pretty quickly. I wanted to make a blanket too, but they take so super long that I don’t know it I can do it. I could crochet it, I have started a pretty pink one, but I think MomP might disown me. But I will finish a few blankets for the Church baby shower drive for area charities.

Well I am off for now. We are headed to Chicago and Rock Island this weekend for Jeff and my Mom’s graduations, so I will not be able to update for awhile. Of course I will see you all anyway!

PhD Ski

Yes, be jealous, I am married to a Dr! Jeff defended his dissertation on Friday and now all those years of hard work are over, well except for the job, research, teaching and administration work. Wow, so it never really ends? Such is the life we have chosen, and what the hell we can get summers off!

We had a good time at the hotel and at the party after, actually Friday was one long hang with the peeps in normal, after the defense we went to the Irish pub and then to Luddy’s for more fun. It was awesome to see everyone again, I miss them so much! But I guess that is the way it goes, eventually everyone has to move on, and while it is sad you know that academia is not that large and you will see these people again, usually at a conference and for those who have ever bee, the good times at the conference happen in the hotel bar. Actually most intellectual work happens in the bar!

Of course on the way to Illinois, Jeff’s back passenger brake went out, fortunately we were stopped at a gas station with a mechanic across the street. Two hours and $340 later we were back on the road, of course this meant that missed dropping off Spenser at the kennel, and he stayed with us in the hotel. But the fun did not stop there, brake fluid kept leaking and we ended up in Chicago, leaving the car with my in-laws and taking their Nissan for the trip back. This car is stylin’! It still smells like a new car! I tried to trade and Momp said that it would cost me my first born; I am tempted to take it. All of this set us back a day, but that was OK, we got to hang with Michele. On the down side we had to leave the Spenser, but we will be back in a week for Jeff’s grad, so all in all not too bad. Now I know that you all want pics and updates on knitting, but give a girl a break! I have been busy, but I promise updates and pics soon!