Nascar Knitting - update!

Pretty pathetic. I think my goal to get full points for last week's Nascar Knitting was to knit, give away, or somehow consume/use up 500 grams of yarn since the race was 500 miles.

I did 56.7 grams (2 ounces). Thank goodness I used Bartlett's yarn in two colors because it's good heavy yarn and with two colors, there's some overlap! Here's one sock for the Afghans for Afghans special sock collection.
I did do some other knitting, but nothing that I could measure. Rats. I need to focus!

At least I did better than my guy, Kenny Schrader. That doesn't make me feel better!

Happily, this upcoming week is a 'bye' week (see schedule). My plan is to finish moving into the new place, start knitting like crazy and give yarn away like a mad woman! (The next race is 400 miles at Las Vegas.)

ps - AAAACCCCKKKKK! I just noticed that I lost my UFO list when I switched to the new blogger! Double rats! I saved the original text file somewhere. Add it to the list of things I need to do/upload.

Whew! Be careful!

This morning I ran across a really cute widget: an analog clock that showed the specific time of a place. Sounds lame now, but it really looked cute this morning. I clicked the link, updated the info for my blog, and tried to install it. Nope. Had to change my blog to the new 'layout' rather than 'template' form, and the page warned that information would be lost. But NOT TO WORRY! a copy of the old template would be saved indefinitely so the information wouldn't really be lost.

Well, after many tries and multiple 'help' lists later, I never did find the copy of my old template, and the only thing that I know I lost in transition was the UFO Challenge ring stuff. Thank goodness for paper! I had a print copy of my UFO Challenge Ring connection info sitting here on my desk. With that I was able to connect to the ring, get the html code and reinstall it on my new layout.

All this angst, and where is the cute widget???? Back in the etherdust somewhere. I need to take a deep breath before I make any more changes!

I do admit, though, that moving stuff around is much easier in the new drag/drop layout. But now I need to get away from the blog for awhile and do some deep breathing. I am enough of an old-schooler that I want to be in control of the html when things go awry. Then - menus be damned!

Moral of the story? Print is forever (as long as you remember where you put it).
PS - Found another great challenge: Nascar Knitting! Icon:

Drip. Drip. Drip.

If only I could post an audio clip of the most wonderful sound on earth: drip. drip. drip.

We're melting. (In the good way not the Wizard of Oz way.) I understand that this means patches of ice will be even slipperier and mounds of mud will emerge. Not a problem. I am okay with all of this. Tougher to take will be the next ice/snow storm that occurs. It will happen. I will play Pollyanna's Glad Game and survive.

This was a busy and somewhat traumatic weekend. After work on Friday, I had to take time to knit at the yarn shoppe. Just. Had. To. Bex was there and Chrisma. They worked. I knit. And bought a little bit of yarn. Most of it was ON SALE so it doesn't count. (Sorry. Details later.)

A smattering of snow (nothing substantial) was forecast for Friday night and Saturday morning. Didn't really think too much about it until I walked out of the store at 6pm - BLIZZARD! Okay, not officially a blizzard, but it was dark and there was a lot of blowing snow, severely dropping visibility. The Mustang made it home with no surprising incidents, but I was snowbound until Saturday afternoon when it cleared and started melting because of the sun not tempterature. I managed to get some clothes moved over to The Warming House but not much. Sunday afternoon and evening I managed to get the futon frame and mattress moved while trying to watch the Daytona 500. (Could not believe that Mark Martin lost in the last couple of seconds. I don't remember hearing much about Harvik the entire race -- until the last couple of seconds! What an ending! My guy, though, is Kenny Schrader. I've been watching him and the M&M's car since I started watching NASCAR ~10 years ago. I know - Kenny isn't in the M's car anymore, but I choose my cars by their sponsors. Tide. M&M's.)

In the meantime, I did get some knitting done. I started and finished a dish rag during yesterday's monthly quilt group at Miss Millie's. And by Friday, my red IHS was more than half done. (I know this because I have two skeins of Mt. Color's yarn, and I finished the first skein last week. About 37" long. Ergo, I am half done.)

I was just looking at Beth's beautiful spinning - I always get so tickled by how closely the dog art in the top left column resembles her dogs. What soulful expressions! What cuties! I can't wait until I can have a dog, too. Until then, I'll live vicariously. Thanks, Beth!

Happy St. Valentine's Day!

I have sent out some virtual Valentines. Not the same as the paper ones. While moving around boxes in the back room, I found a bag full of paper cards that never got sent: Christmas, Valentine's, Halloween, Thanksgiving. My friends know that I send Christmas cards all year 'round. Maybe I need to extend that blanket arrangement to all holiday cards.

The Yarn Harlot has an interesting approach to Valentine's Day. She suggests that the day is better spent not focusing on romantic can't-live-without-you love but on the rock solid love that is built on trust and friendship and sharing daily unromantic tasks.

And there's Franklin's list of alternative ways to say "I love you" to a knitter.

I remember deciding a few years ago that on this day - especially on this day - everyone deserves to be loved. And this is the day you recognize the good acts and kindnesses that are given everyday without any thought of reward. Kind of a Thanksgiving Day in February, except the holiday icon is a heart (not a turkey or fall foliage) and the color is red (not green or orange or brown).

So - here is a little Valentine for you. My Irish Hiking Scarf (UFO #3) in Mt. Color "Ruby Red":



The actual color is closer to the close-up photo on the left. The scarf on the right shows the unexpected but appreciated darker red zigzag beginning to appear in the colorway.

Thank you to Mountain Colors for their wonderful yarn and gorgeous colors, and to Fuzzy Mabel yarn shop for helping me find this beautiful yarn!

SNOW!

I realize this blog is called "The Warming House" and that title implies the love of winter. I do love winter, but not down here in Missouri! This is what greeted me as I walked out the door this morning.

Word is that it will get worse by this afternoon. sigh. Thank goodness for all the snow plowers and salters and good people who try to make walking/driving as safe as possible. And a special shout out to my coffee lady in Memorial Union. Bless them all.

In the meantime, I sent off my last scarf Friday to the mandala project. A tweedy mix of colors from Jo Sharp. mmmmmmmmm. Love that tweed. These colors/yarns are leftover from the scarf I have yet to finish from the Scarf Style book. (UFO # 13)

Rather than finish that, I am working on the Irish Hiking Scarf (UFO #3). It's portable, which seems to be important right now. It is not mindless knitting, however, so we'll see how it works out. The yarn (Mt. Colors - Mountain Goat - Ruby River) is spectacular. But I expect that of Mt. Colors now. What stunning yarn and color.

FOs and Barlett Yarn!

I've actually finished some things! Numbers six and seven from the UFO list (on the right panel of this blog) are completed!

The mandala scarf (knit from Araucania's Nature Wool), 8" wide by 7' long:

There's a slight variegation in the yarn. I got a note from the ND Art Museum that they've received the scarf - and really like the color!



Elizabeth Zimmerman's Surprise Baby Jacket (knit from Louet Gems - washable wool, 4-ply of grays, black and yellow/gold):









In the meantime, I've gotten the Bartlett Wool yarn, straight from the Mill, to knit some socks for AfghansforAfghans. There's a special push to get 250 pairs of socks to school kids by March 7. Bartlett's gave VERY fast service - I just ordered it the end of last week and it came UPS ground yesterday. I chipped ice for awhile then went in and opened my package. What a nice reward! (When you visit their Web site, be sure to learn about their mill!)

I decided that buying yarn for a special project did not break my pledge to reduce my yarn stash. Especially since the yarn is from a U.S. mill! BTW: I first used Bartlett wool when it was included in a Christmas stocking kit from Annie's Woolens in Wisconsin. I was wonderfully pleased with BOTH Annie's and Bartlett's!

Knit on!

New Day in America

I'm doing it. I'm making a commitment to John Edwards, to populists, to Molly Ivins, and every other bleeding heart do-gooder around. It's time to get involved.