work « Beckle Speckle’s Zany World

Finishing frenzy

November 23, 2008 at 9:32 pm | In Baby, family, knitting, whining, work | Leave a Comment

The big orange hunting socks are finally finished. These took quite a long time to knit compare to the others lately. First they are bigger socks and longer socks and the pattern repeats are on every round – whew!

First modeled by Miss Bug…

pb180041

Then by DH. His father is the recipient.

Particulars…

Yarn: Trekking XXL, used most of one skein

Color: mostly orange

Needle: US 2 (knit picks, used magic loop, one at at time)

Pattern: Made it up

Inspiration: Hedgerow socks and fetching

Size: Men’s size 10-11 wide

I also knit up a pair of mittens for me!

Particulars:

Yarn: Manos de Uruguay, used about 2/3 of a skein

Needle: US 9, magic loop, ‘toe-up’

Pattern: plain, kind of made up, numbers based on Ann Budd’s book of patterns

I also sewed up my sister’s clogs (fiber-trends) and will felt them over Thanksgiving. She has tiny feet, so I wanted to do it when I have her foot around for measurement purposes. I also am working on a pair of fingerless mitts for my friend’s husband. I just taught her to knit yesterday. Pictures later…

Otherwise, things are ticking along here.

Bug had her Thanksgiving program at ’school’ in which the kids sang. She is wearing orange.

She was actually on good behavior this year – no crying like last year. And she even ate some of the lunch! Since Thanksgiving is so late this year and Bug is very much in the holiday spirit, we also made ornaments

and put up our Christmas tree this weekend.

We are hoping to avoid so much materialism with her. She seems to want everything she sees. So, we devised this plan – she gets to cut out pictures of things she wants and glue them to a special block of construction paper we keep on the freezer with Santa’s picture on it. Then Santa will choose one thing to bring her. We will get here something and her grandparents will too, but maybe it won’t be so overwhelming…?

I have only one more lecture and two more classes in this semester – one course was double the time each week (to allow for travel) and ended at mid-semester. However, there is ‘no rest for the wicked’ – as soon as classes are finished, I have to report for US district jury duty for the remainder of December… BIG FUN!

Lot of miscellany

June 1, 2008 at 8:41 pm | In Baby, baking, bellydance, family, work | 2 Comments

A lot of things have been accomplished since the last post – little knitting or crochet, but lots of other stuff. Bug got a haircut…

We went to a ‘water’ birthday party… The birthday boy (6) was the recipient of the crocheted Katamari.

We went boating for Memorial Day…

We made a chocolate cheesecake for a certain little girl’s birthday …

We danced in a hafla…

and had a birthday cookout with some family and friends for our little Bug’s 3rd birthday (officially it is Tuesday, though).

Oh, and I finished up the 3 week course and turned in grades!!! Wahooooooo!

Onward…

May 18, 2008 at 9:23 pm | In Baby, crochet, gardening, knitting, work | Leave a Comment

We’ve been very busy this week – 5 “weeks” of a course jammed into 5 days of class. A whirlwind to say the least, but we’re surviving. I remind myself each year that I taught this course one time while 9 months pregnant with a sprained ankle (I can do ANYTHING!). Bug was born the day of the final exam for this course nearly 3 years ago now… I can’t believe it. Time has certainly flown…

Someone recently asked her what she wanted for her birthday. She said cheesecake – we have made several of these in the last few months for other people. She likes to hold the eggs and eat some of the chocolate chips.

In the last few days she has added that she wants presents – I asked her ‘what’ presents. Her answer: blue presents.

We’ve made some progress on all fronts – the garden is enjoying the rain, but aches for some seasonably warmer weather than we’ve been having. I’ve made progress on three projects: the stained glass crochet scarf

and the corn socks for DH

but messed up the lattice scarf and had to rip back past the “progress” I had made.

I like Lixie’s slogan for these days… Keep calm and carry on…

April showers

April 3, 2008 at 8:47 pm | In Baby, crochet, knitting, work | Leave a Comment

It has been raining here on and off for about a week. The ground is saturated and everything is beginning to green up. Only the little oak in the back yard still clings to its brown leaves. It is always the last to come around to budding. I saw some dogwoods blooming this morning on the way in to work. I’ve been working on a crochet scarf out out knitpicks laceweight and DH’s corn socks. Both projects are going well – I’m still not yet ready to begin anything complex. Work is taking too much mental and physical energy for anything complex. I’ll take pictures of the progress soon… Bug is well and talking up a storm these days. I can’t believe she will be 3 years old in less than two months.

Ramblings and a recipe

December 18, 2007 at 9:25 pm | In Baby, family, recipe, work | 1 Comment

Even though the semester is done, I’ve been at work both days (not for a “full” day, though). I’m not going in again until after New Year’s (my goal). I’m feeling somewhat burnt out at work, so I’m trying to find some peace and replenishment. I have a tough time finding some kind of balance between work, family, and personal time.

Yesterday I joined a gym in town while the rec center is closed for the break and it was fun to go yesterday. They have a big movie theater and I watched the end of the last Bourne movie. I wonder if they only play action movies to keep the pace up.

Today I took Bug to the doctor (waited 45 minutes past the appt time before we even saw the doctor!) to find out she has an ear infection. We didn’t have an inkling until she screamed non-stop last night about midnight for an entire hour and then woke up screaming again at 3am. I’m surprised I’m even still awake. It is a good thing she is cute and loves the cats!

On the crafty front (the last 2 weeks or so…), I’ve finished one fetching and cast on the second in some lovely alpaca that I bought at the Fiber Festival.

I also worked on the Rosalind (DNA) scarf for DH. It currently measures 24 inches (61cm).

I am hoping to get it done over the break since he bought a winter coat to match it (how nice is that!) I’m very lucky that he appreciates the things I make for him. He also likes his felted slippers (clogs). Also he just handed me a frozen fuzzy navel! MMmmMmmMm! I am such a lucky girl. Here is the “recipe.”

Frozen fuzzy navel

orange sherbet

peach schnaps

vodka (optional, for a strong drink)

The amounts you choose will depend on how strong you want your fuzzy navel. Scoop some orange sherbet into a blender, add some peach schnaps and vodka. Blend until the consistency of a thick milkshake. Enjoy!

Fall break fun and ‘not so much’ fun

October 16, 2007 at 8:34 pm | In family, knitting, work | Leave a Comment

The good parts… Bug had lots of fun playing outside this weekend.

I caught up on paperwork, grading, etc these past 2 days. The light traffic and open parking on campus was a bonus. I went to the bookstore for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon – browsed the books and magazines and then knit on the DNA scarf before reading a student thesis.

I found the cutest knitted animals directions (Noah’s ark) in the September issue of Simply Knitting (British) and had to buy it. I will definitely be making some of these for Bug and my sister’s boys. I also bought a copy of Robert Fulghum’s new book What on Earth Have I Done?.

We went out to lunch today and then back to the bookstore for a while. I then worked some more on the student thesis before picking up Bug.

Now for the ‘not so much fun’ parts…

Saturday – we tried to go camping in the pop-up camper. First, it took forever to get everything packed up. Then, the camper had a flat tire. After that, we drove to Old Stone Fort (about 40′ away) only to find there was ‘no vacancy’ at the camp ground. We then decided to plow on to another camp ground about 45′ further only to find there was ‘no vacancy’ there, too. We turned around to head home (3 strikes, we’re out!) We stopped at a Mexican restaurant for dinner and headed home. After Bug got the bed both of us were extremely nauseous. Maybe Mexican wasn’t such a good idea….

Sunday – Despite still feeling kind of nauseated, I decided to take Bug to the park. Barfield Park has a fenced playground for small kids. We were playing in the “fish eye” part and she was running to the back of the fisheye for the umpteenth time when she smacked her little face right into the playground equipment where the rubber and wood mulch meet. She says the “park hurt me nose.” I almost took her to the ER because I thought she broke her nose.

BEFORE

AFTER

I know the “bad” parts could have been worse … Hey, there are only 3 more days in this work week! YAY!

Pumpkins and tractors and animals, oh my!

October 9, 2007 at 8:28 pm | In Baby, family, work | 1 Comment

Bug’s first field trip went well.

We were both tired and absolutely filthy by lunch time. She fell asleep in the car on the way back to school.

They (Cedarwood Pumpkin Patch) had lots of animals (sheep, goats, miniature horses, donkeys, chickens, pigs, turkeys, ducks, and fish in the fishpond)

as well as a corn maze, a hay maze, a hay jumping room,

lots of picture areas,

a hay ride,

and a pumpkin patch.

They also sell mums and other plants and have a small country store with mostly scarecrows and other assorted Halloween stuff like Snoopy .

Fall is finally here with a vengeance. It is supposed to be in the 40s F (that is 4C, refrigerator temperature!) here tomorrow night!

We’re thinking of going camping (in the camper) for one of the nights of fall break. I have to get through this week first, though. The lab book revision is due this week! That will be a load off my mind and plate when it is in the mail.

Progress, but tired

September 17, 2007 at 8:56 pm | In Baby, knitting, work | Leave a Comment

We had a good time at the park over the weekend. Bug also liked playing with some gloves that we inherited from my great-grandmother.

This week got off to a bad start as Cranky-pants (aka CP, Bug’s alter ego) woke up this morning. She (CP) continued on to school where the drop-off was heart-wrenching. CP also woke up from nap and had to be held for about 20 minutes. I put her to bed early without much protest.

Work had some good news – we got a grant from the National Science Foundation for scholarships! Yay! The presentation went ok and I got the tests made up. All the “had to” items off the list!

I got to go to knitting group on Sunday. I started and finished an amigurumi head (from the free Crochet Me pattern) and it looks more like it will be a rasta-gurumi!

I also worked on my socks and got some rows done this evening while Bug watched SpongeBob and Charlie Brown. I really enjoy knitting this part of the sock (gusset increases).

I bought some yarn (black and gray suri alpaca) for the DNA illusion scarf for DH and a little skein of sock yarn (clearance!) for Bug-sized socks!

Glad it is Friday

September 14, 2007 at 8:51 pm | In Baby, SP11, knitting, work | Leave a Comment

Bug, DH, and I went to an Ice Cream Social at school yesterday. There was music and ice cream and Bug loved them both. She was extremely tired in the evening from all of her roaming and dancing and even slept an hour late this morning. She spent all of yesterday in “big girl panties” with only one accident at nap time! Yippee!

This week seems to have been quite long and I’m glad to be on this side of the school-week. Although, I’ll have to do some more preparing over the weekend for my presentation on Monday and the exams I’m giving on Tuesday.

I have made it almost to the starting point of the gusset increases for my first sock. Socks are still kind of stressful, not mindless, for me. I’m feeling the need to finish some more things, but all of my projects are moving kind of slow. I think I need a good small project, maybe crochet, to get it out of my system.

I sent my SP package out this morning. I’m excited to see how she likes the yarn I dyed for her and the other goodies in her package.

We ate at the Indian restaurant for lunch. I like Indian food, but it will intermittently give me really bad heartburn. My stomach was not feeling well enough to go to knitting this evening (sad face). Maybe DH will take care of Bug on Sunday afternoon so I can go then.

Happy Weekend!

Ravelry invite and other ramblings

August 29, 2007 at 9:28 pm | In Baby, bellydance, family, knitting, work | Leave a Comment

I finally got my Ravelry invite! I am BeckleSpeckle on there, but haven’t prepared at all. I kept checking for when the invite would come, but have not taken any pix of future project yarn. I don’t “think” there is that much, but alas, I usually underestimate

Well, I tried to do the 2 socks on 1 circular, but have really dreaded knitting them. So, I ripped out one sock and am only continuing with a single sock. It is much less stressful… ahhhhhahhhh (sigh of relief).

I need to finish sewing the zipper into the Tunisian and shells wristlet for the Summer Purse Kal-Cal, which ends in a few days (9/2)- been dreading it for WEEKS now. I know, just suck it up and get it done!

Bug and I are doing better these last few days. The heat finally kicked down a notch and let us play outside this evening before going to dance class. Our hafla-recital type thing will be on Sept 21. I’ll post some pix if I can get anyone (DH) to come. He doesn’t go to “recitals.”

The first week of school is more than half over and I’ve met all my classes at least once now. Whew! The “getting started” stuff is stressful on this introvert!

I haven’t taken many pictures this week, so I’ll post these “old” ones of Bug (just a few hours old with and without hat).