My Excuse For the Day

It's just too hot outside. That has been my excuse all day, actually all month. My family is tired of hearing me complain about it. It is 99 degrees outside right now, and tomorrow's forecast is 102. I have not even gone outside today. It's just too hot outside.

With being indoors, I have been able to work on some knitting. I have been working on the dishcloth KAL every day. Tomorrow is the last day. I can figure out what the design is, and I just love this idea. Knitting dishcloths with only knitting and purling is so relaxing for me. It's quick so you get to see the results in a short amount of time, and it's easy so there's no frustration.

The jigsaw socks are coming along well, too. The pattern it's making is so cool, and I love this color of yarn. I've even learned how to post pictures on the blogs. Hey, guess you can teach an old dog new tricks. I am officially a member of the jigsaw sock KAL. Carrie (socksinthecity.blogspot.com) sent me a very nice email. I still am amazed at the technology these days (makes me sound so old, doesn't it). I really enjoy listening to her podcasts, and looking at her blogs. She just seems like someone I'd like as soon as I met her.

Anyway, onto the scrapbooking side of my life. I am leaving for my retreat to Tahoe in four days!!! Am I ready? Of course not. Last night I worked the midnight madness crop (6:00pm - 1:00am) at my LSS. When I scrapbook I like to prepare power layouts so everything is ready when I actually sit down to crop. Last night I brought some pages to start the power layouts. I actually got them done, but that's all. If I don't get it done today, that's ok, I'll just stay up really late the night before I leave. If nothing else in my life, I have become a pro at procrastination. That's when I do my best work - last minute.

Tomorrow we are driving to Tahoe to take our DD13 to band camp. She'll be gone until Saturday. She's really looking forward to it. Of course, as a mom, I will worry about her. Quite a few of her friends are going, so I know she'll have fun

I think I'll venture out into the hot desert, otherwise known as my back yard. Those zucchini that need to be picked are calling out my name.

Update on the knitting. . .

I really love this jigsaw sock pattern. This pattern says it's a size small, and since I can't remember the last time I wore small anything, I've decided to give them to my daughter. She has been begging for them since she got home from camp on Saturday. Maybe I'll just tuck them away and make her wait for them until Christmas. The yarn I'm using - Panda Cotton, in the color Sable - is beautiful with this pattern. The only drawback with this yarn I've found is that the strands of the yarn can separate so you have to be careful they don't get separated as you are knitting - especially those knit two together stitches. I'll post pictures once I get my kids to help me figure that out.

I also started a knitalong - my first one. It's a mystery KAL. All we know is that it is going to be a dishcloth. I got the pattern for the first 9 rows today. At lunch I bought the yarn (a bright yellow), cast on (50) and knit one row (K1, P1).

It's funny, isn't it, how knitting - or any hobby - can be therapeutic as well as fun. Today my youngest started first grade. Even though I've gone through this twice before with the girls, it still gets to me. I was doing fine until he was lined up, ready to go into his classroom. The teacher had them put their lunches away, and I realized he could do this all by himself. He didn't need his Mommy's help. He was going to be gone all day long. No more Mother and son time before the girls got home from school. I certainly won't get goodbye kisses anymore from him at school, and I'll be lucky to get him to hold my hand these days. My baby is growing up. I so wanted to go home and curl up on the couch with my knitting (and Kleenex). But today is a work day, so off to work I went. I did go to the yarn store and scrapbook store today, so I got in some shopping therapy.

I'm getting ready for my scrapbook retreat coming up in a couple of weeks. This year we are going to Tahoe. I can't wait. We look forward to this every year. My friend has some friends who have a house in Tahoe and they are letting us use the house for our retreat. In the past we have stayed at condos, so this will be roomier than previous places. I cannot wait, even though I am not even ready. I still need to plan my layouts, order pictures and pack.

This week I plan to work on my socks and dishcloth, pack for the retreat and order/organize photos. This weekend we will be driving to Tahoe to drop our daughter off at band camp. I also want to buy the new Harry Potter book, but I still need to finish Book 6. Our Crickhollow book meeting is scheduled for this Friday, of which I haven't even started to read the book yet. This month's book is by Patricia McKillip - Moon Solstice, or something like that. I have the book on hold at the library. Until later !

Addicted, Obsessive Compulsive - oh my!

I've recently taken up a new hobby: knitting socks. Who knew socks could be so much fun? Who knew socks could take up so much of my time?! Well, with the way I am obsessed with scrapbooking, to those who know me it should come as no surprise that this new hobby has taken over. I find myself waking up and thinking about knitting. I bring my socks to knit at work. I knit whenever I have waiting time - like at my son's dentist yesterday. I was actually happy that it took over an hour for his appointment, because that meant more knitting time for me. I bring my yarn everywhere. Heck, I even tried knitting while waiting for the light to turn green - in the driver's seat. I know - bad, bad.

This week my two oldest are at camp, and that leaves just one home. I finished a sock and actually cast on another last night. I have started listening to podcasts, and there is a really good one I like to listen to, socksinthecitypodcast.blogspot.com, and she is having a knitalong. I have emailed her to join because it sounds like fun. I have never participated in a knitalong, but the pattern for this one is more than just knitting up. There is an actual pattern to it that will challenge me. I am hoping I can keep up, and not get frustrated. Right now I am thinking that because I'm new to sock knitting I'm not ready for this pattern, but I'm gonna go for it.

Today at lunch my fortune cookie read "Don't underestimate yourself." Just what I needed today! I think I'll go work on those socks...