New projects, new things to try
Mood:  celebratory
Now Playing: Jim Brickman "The Promise" from the Simple Things CD
I have new projects. Not of the knitting kind, but of the service to community kind. Last night at my meeting, I was asked to be on the Board of Directors for the local Boys and Girls Club. I feel that this is a very worthy organization, and since my friend Kevin asked me to do this, I wouldn't say no. I'm excited about doing this for some reason. Maybe it is in part because I love the old building the club owns. It's a Victorian mansion which was built in 1862, and has a wonderful energy to it. It feels good when you enter the building. I'd like to think that it offers a nice place for kids to come and play while their parents are at work.

After being at the parade committee meeting for 2 hours last night, I came home to find that my husband and 2 sons had cleaned (and vacuumed!) the family room. What a nice surprise. Obviously, the mess got to my husband. But it was nice not having to do it myself. ;-)

I'm through picking out my classes at the WC. I've decided on Finishing Basics with Andra on Saturday morning, Nifty Necklines with Melissa Leapman on Saturday afternoon and the Untangling Cables class with Melissa on Sunday. While these might seem very basic to the more experienced knitter, I'm not that experienced with finishing projects and I'd like to be shown how to do most of these things. I figure if I come away with at least one new thing from each class, I'm ahead of the game.

The rest of my morning and afternoon today will be spent putting together the information for my parents taxes. My mom has never had to do any of that, and since my dad isn't well enough to do it anymore, I'm taking it over. Since Mom has an appointment with our tax guy late this afternoon, I guess I'd better get started. :)

Ewephoric Weekend
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: WCBS 101.1 fm from NYC
The Wool Connection down in Avon CT holds a fantastic knitting weekend once a year in the Spring. I look forward to this event all year, as for me, it signifies the beginning of Spring.

I just received my brochure for the classes. This year I want to take classes both days, but choosing which classes is always difficult. I give myself 1 day to do this, and fax the application back so that I get my first choices.

On Saturday, I have to choose between taking classes with Melissa Leapman, Judy Pascale or Andra Asars. Andra is teaching "Finishing Basics" on Saturday morning which I could really use. Melissa Leapman (whom I think is a really nice person, plus a great designer) is teaching Basic Pattern Drafting in the morning, and Nifty Necklines in the afternoon. Judy Pascale is teaching Elongated Beaded Bag on Saturday morning, and Creative Borders and Bands on Saturday afternoon.

My usual MO is to take one class that helps me improve my knitting basics. The other class I like to take "for fun". Learn something that allows me to expand the creative part of knitting.

Sunday's classes are the following choices (for me):

Basic Crochet for Beginners - Kathie Power Johson
Untangling Cables - Melissa Leapman
Tips, Tricks and Hints - Lily Chin

As you can see, I have some choices to make. :)

It's working!
Mood:  bright
The raglan sweater is coming along nicely. The mistakes have been corrected, and due to the fact that I have a sick 2 year old here, I should get a lot of knitting time on it today. Plus, I spilled a glass of ice water on the keyboard of my computer last night, so I'm having to use DH's until I can get over to Staples and pick up a new one.I didn't start any socks last night either. I missed the committee meeting due to Nate being sick. I'll make the next meeting tomorrow night.

Can anyone explain this?
Mood:  sharp
Now Playing: Toto "99"
Topic: Ranting
It's snowing outside. We now have about 7 inches of the white stuff. School has a delay of 2 hours. Can anyone explain why they would send elementary school students in today, when they normally get out at 1:20 p.m. on Wednesdats? Cal will have exactly 2 hours and 40 minutes of school. This, I can't explain.

Other than that, I'm slowly working on the raglan sweater. I think I finally have it going right. :)

Tonight is a parade committee meeting. I'm wondering if I want to start a pair of socks to work on during the meeting. I'm not up for doing two color knitting, so I might start the alpaca/wool socks. One strand of Inca Alpaca in natural, and one strand of sock yarn in a variegated natural & charcoal.

I really am not such an idiot
Mood:  quizzical
Now Playing: WEIB FM 106.3 Boyz to Men "End of the Road"
However, I was feeling like one on Friday. Despite my best attempts at making a raglan sweater, I seriously messed up. What I was coming out with was a drop shouldered sweater knit in the round. Sigh.

So after realizing the SECOND mistake I was making with the sweater, I had to set it aside and leave it alone. I spent ALL of Friday morning attempting to salvage what was there, but I would have wound up with a boat neck neckline.

So today it is back to ripping it out and going to where I was over a week ago.

Did I mention that I do much better when I'm shown how to do something than reading it from a book or pattern? ;-)

Yesterday was better though. We took a drive down to Avon CT to the Wool Connection. I fondled yarn while DH entertained the kids by letting them have free run over the inside of the truck (they like to pretend they are driving it). My total purchases from the WC was a set of Addi Turbo 32" #8's to replace the pair I'm using on the above mentioned sweater. Trina, our newest cat, chewed on the old set, and there are tiny little bits that snag yarn on the cable. My husband looked at me when I got back into the truck and said "I hope that you plan to buy more than just that, as I don't want to think we made a trip all the way down here for $13." :) I think he's a keeper. However, I couldn't really find much more I wanted to purchase. If I had had a chance to look at their catalog before going down, I would have come out with a lot more, but I didn't. I did check out the Lamb's Pride yarn, and decided which colors I want to knit with next. I can buy those from Claudia at Countrywool. A trip to McDonald's for lunch and then Munson's Chocolates, and we were back on the road.
On the way back, we stopped at a toy store in Granby CT that has been in business since 1948. It's a cool store, and the boys liked it a lot. They each left with a small toy elephant. Our last stop was at Marji's Yarn Shop in Granby. It is a nice little store, and has a fantastic pattern selection. The yarn selection was a bit thin; not many yarns had enough of any color to buy to make a sweater, so I purchased two patterns. I probably could have bought these locally, but I like to keep the smaller shops in business, especially if I can see that they actually like helping customers (which Marji apparently does). Marji's was really busy, which is great. I suspect that is why the yarn selection was so depleted. One pattern I purchased is for a knit from the neck down raglan sweater in bulky weight yarn, and the other is for fulled purses for evening wear. They are smaller than usual, but you knit glitzy yarn into them, like eyelash yarn for some pizazz.

Today DH is taking the kids over to the local kid's gym, and I'll be shearing at least one rabbit today in anticipation for the IAGARB registration in April. I'd like to see at least one of my rabbits become registered with the organization. :)

A picture of the sweater before it is ripped out again

Back on track again
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: WEIB smooth jazz
It is a good day today. :)

I haven't had much sleep, but I'm feeling like things are looking up. Work as picked up a little bit (and it only takes a little bit of work after having very little to make an appraiser happy). My business partner Karin and I joke that our profession is manic depressive; either it's very busy or nothing at all. My husband and I had a good meeting with Cal's teachers at school, and we are planning on a nice weekend. The best news is that DH will be moved over to the day shift, which will make us all very happy.

I have been really busy with the raglan sweater. I'm up to the neckline and if I can figure out the directions, I'll finish it up today. I'd really rather do the short row wrap neckline than the traditional neckline, as Claudia states in her directions that it is nicer and fits better. Keep your fingers crossed that I can figure it out. Like I've said before, I do so much better if I'm shown how to do something rather than reading directions.

Once this sweater is done, I'll feel completely free to buy myself a new project.

As far as Bay Colony Farm goes, I will be posting the information about Sara Lamb's classes on the website very soon. We have just about everything figured out, and I'll be taking reservations for class space soon.
We are also looking into getting a bus tour together to go down to Maryland Sheep and Wool. If you are interested, please let me know so that we can figure out the bus size. :)

Posted by baycolonyfarm at 10:17 AM EST

Updated: Thursday, 22 January 2004 10:23 AM EST

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Another day off
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: Toto "99"
Topic: Various things
I've figured out that I don't really like the month of January. It's not the post holiday let down that most people deal with, but for me, it's the weather. I think I like February much better, since we tend to get days then when the snow melts, and there is a hint of Spring in the air. Those are the days I go buy flowers for my kitchen table.

I am looking forward to getting the brochure from the Wool Connection for the Ewephoric Weekend at the end of March. I'm thinking that this year, I might consider going for the full two days, instead of just one afternoon as it is within easy driving distance.

I'm also contemplating a trip down to the Wool Connection this afternoon. I'll have to see if my parents are feeling up to making the trip, as DH has to work today, and I'd be without babysitters. If they don't want to go, then I'll just work on my sweater, and possibly start a pair of socks. I dug out a sock kit from Countrywool yesterday, the Nordic Socks. The colors aren't my favorite (my fault, as I think I was planning to make these from my husband, and not myself), but I'll make them anyway, and practice knitting with two colors.

On to the Super Bowl!
Mood:  celebratory
Yea! The Patriots won! This will be the third time in 10 years that they are going to the Super Bowl. Now I'm watching my Philadelphia Eagles play. I've often wondered who I would rout for if my two favorite teams were in the Super Bowl.

Off to ponder that one. :)

To Frog or not to Frog, that is the question
Mood:  a-ok
Well, this time, it wasn't really the question. I've been working like crazy for the past two days on the raglan sweater. Remember, this is the first time I've knit one of these, and I'm *so* much better at learning something new when I'm shown how to do it rather than reading the technique from a pattern or book.

So I'm on Row 31 of the decreases, when I finally realize that "Hey, this one set of decreased on the right side of the sweater aren't right!". Damn! So this morning, I ripped it all the way back to row 2, where the decreases begin. I'm not too upset about this, since I am enjoying knitting this sweater, and feel this need to complete a project (instead of it becoming one of the many, many UFO's I have hanging around).

The weather here has warmed up a lot. It's 31 degrees outside, and which feels like a heatwave. Plus, we were able to get 2 cords of wood delivered yesterday, so I can turn off the heat in the downstairs again. :)

Back in the Deep Freeze again
Mood:  incredulous
Now Playing: SpongeBob SquarePants on TV
As if it wasn't bad enough last week, this week is even worse. I just came in from stuffing bunny cages with Canadian hay. This is a 50 pound bale of hay, packed as tight as can be, and I just used 3/4 of it. The rabbits were happy though to be munching on such a tasty treat. Plus, they each got 3 small carrots to help supplement liquids, as water bottles freeze within minutes right now.
The current temp is -4, but add in the wind chill, and we are somewhere between -30 and -40. Luckily, the barn is atleast 10 degrees warmer than outside, so that helps some, and the rabbits are protected from the wind.
All of the local schools have already closed for tomorrow (except ours, of course). Hopefully, our school superintendent will see the light, and cancel school before 5 a.m. tomorrow.

The sleeves are done on the LP sweater. I am in need of more stitch holders, which I might purchase tomorrow and then I can start joining the sleeves with the body.

Lacking stitch holders, I got out some Inca Alpaca in natural, and some sock yarn in natural and charcoal and cast on for a gauge swatch for a sock. Unfortunately, I went out to bring hay to the rabbits when I was about 1" into the swatch, leaving my two boys playing in front of the tv. I came back in to find that Nate had brought out a pair of kids scissors from my husband's office, and proceeded to cut the yarn, now leaving me with two separate things: a gauge swatch and two yarn balls. Needless to say the little guy was sent to bed immediately, and I'll have to weave in some ends when I'm done. The scissors are being put out of their reach now.

Tomorrow will be a race to keep water bottles flowing, and rabbits hydrated. The temps are expected to be even worse.

One shining spot for today (well, there were other good parts, but this really made me happy), is that our Quill was visiting Deanna, and I will be able to visit with him tomorrow.