How Much is Too Much?

How much is too much? I suppose the answer is determined by the subject of "how much".

Some music genres - the answer is 'more than 30 seconds.'
Chocolate - not sure it is possible to ever have too much.
Cold - if I can't get warm and stay warm then it is too much.
Much the same with warm - if I can't get cool and stay cool...

Money - I haven't had the chance to find out if there is a personal too much. I imagine the line occurs when others assume you want to give a larger amount to them.

But the subject today is yarn. Now if you know me you might be surprised I would even ask if there is such a thing as too much yarn. But I think this approximately 7 cubic feet of fingering weight/sock yarn might tend toward the excessive. Funny how it can look like so much and so little at the same time.

I decided to search all the bags and cubbyholes for fingering weight/sock yarn and sort by color. I thought I should get a more realistic idea of just what I do have in the stash. Wow, there is quite a bit! The interesting thing is that in finding all of these skeins I didn't have many "I forgot I had this" moments.

I still want to set up an inventory list. I am not really type A enough to give up sleep to do the data entry for that. I guess I have an alternate project if I need a break from knitting the 20+ UFOs.

Now about the two humongous boxes of worsted, DK, and sport weight that are still packed up for the unrealized sale of house and move of 2 years ago... Can anyone say possibly 19 cubic feet? I need turbo fingers and just a bit more free time. :-)

-Mavis

Airplane Knitting

Flying definitely is a great time for me to knit. Today I finished over half of my second sock. I'm liking the pattern and the colorway (Opal - Winter); although there was way more orange than I imagined when I looked at the yarn online.

I also am having a chance to try the magic loop method, although my next set of socks on the magic loop will be two at once. I really hate knitting the second sock by itself. That was the reason I started knitting on two circular needles to begin with.

I also decided that size zero is the same gauge as size one for me. I just don't do gauge right and am having the same issue here as I did with a sweater years ago. I knit 4 swatches for that sweater on 4 different size needles 5, 6, 7, and 8 and all 4 gauge swatches were the same. Well the same has happened here with my new size zero addi turbo needles. I'm getting the same gauge with them as I do with size one addi turbo needles. Argh. I really do have an interesting way of knitting when the size of the needle doesn't seem to affect the gauge.


After I finish this sock, the rest of my week will be working on my shawl. Then I'll go home with another set of socks to knit on the plane. I just need to decide which of two yarns and several sock patterns I brought with me to use. But I did well the last time I traveled working on my shawl, so I'm hoping for the same luck this time.

-Myrtle

It's February in Missouri

There is a dusting of snow on the ground.
I look out my window and see,
Tuffed Titmice,
Blue Jays,
Downy Woodpeckers,
and Black-Capped Chickadees,
and there a lots of tiny foot prints.

Yes, this is February in Missouri where we were over 50 degrees yesterday.

-Myrtle

Note: The picture was from an earlier snow storm this season and has a Cardinal and Tuffed Titmouse on our bird feeder out back. But I liked the photo and thought I'd add it here.

Some degree of separation

Amazing how an event half way around the world can have an element of connection to me here in the Pacific Northwest. I spent some time on Jacqueline's blog looking at the prizes people have so generously donated to her fundraising effort on behalf of the Australian Red Cross. One of the prizes is from Nestucca Bay Yarns, a company right here in Oregon. In fact I made my brother's neck warmer from her Oregon Grape colorway that I purchased in Lincoln City. Talk about the interrelatedness of the knitting world.

I see Sheri of my favorite temptation, The Loopy Ewe, has also donated. As has Sundara of Sundara Yarns.

I need to get knitting so I can justify the purchases I've made in the last year.

-Mavis, returning to the umpteen projects on the needles.

Bush Fires

photo from www.ltscotland.org.uk/

The bush fires of Australia have been on my radar. EMS and fire is part of two of our families. I am an EMT-Basic working with a private ambulance company. Until time constraints kicked into overdrive I volunteered with my local fire department. Mr Myrtle is a volunteer fire-fighter and re-certifying for his EMT-B. Mr. Myrtle had the opportunity to train with an Australian fire department in a bush fire drill when he and Myrtle were in the country for a business trip.

Given all this I was primed and ready when I saw an appeal on Jacqueline's blog. She is asking for donations to the Australian Red Cross. As an incentive to knitters she is offering knitter related prizes. Prizes are fun but the monetary help to Australian Red Cross is the point. If you follow Stephanie's blog you know how much we knitters can do as a group. (over 1/2 million US to Médecins Sans Frontières as Tricoteuses Sans Frontières or Knitters Without Borders in the last 3 years)

The exchange rate this morning was 6.70 US to 10 Aus. Over $9000 raised in this appeal as of this morning.

-Mavis

Valentine's Day 2009

It's been a great day. Mr. Myrtle brought me breakfast in bed. DS3 made sugar cookies for all and delivered a nice gift bag of cookies to each of us. DS4 made a jewelry box at Lowe's kids building day and gave it to me.

I've worked some on my knitting. I gone through old mail and thrown out a trash bag full of garbage. I paid bills. And I actually feel like I accomplished something.

Tomorrow I will be headed for my first half of 24 hours at Eden, which I am looking at attending this fall. Mr. Myrtle and I will be off to church with the boys in the morning and then head to Eden for the afternoon and evening. Then we'll come home for the night and go in the next day for a morning of activities.

I am really looking forward to this opportunity to talk with faculty and students to see if this is where I want to attend. Since I never did a college visit when I went the first time I'm not sure what to expect from it, but feel like it's a wise thing to do as I consider this major change in my life.

I hope all have had a great Valentine's Day.

-Myrtle

Update on DS4's hand

24 hours later and his wound has started to heal, but there is some swelling still to the left thumb. I guess that is fairly normal considering the trauma it went through, plus the 3 stitches it has. I failed to mention yesterday that although there are only 3 stitches in the thumb it took 5 to get three to stay. They actually pulled two through the skin in the process of trying to tie them.

Today we went to the doctor's office to get a tetanus shot because the ER room didn't have one for children. I thought that was strange until I realize that most kids have a full vaccination schedule done my 6 years of age because they've started Public School and must have it. However, with his allergies we haven't done the vaccinations according to schedule and he still needed at least one more round of tetanus along with some others.

Now we are off to so the oldest 4 in our house can re-certify on our CPR.

-Myrtle

Loopy Ewe order arrived - Yippee!!

I got my package today from the Loopy Ewe. I love how fast it arrives. I ordered it at 11 pm on Tuesday, they had it packaged and shipped Wednesday, and I received it today. I'm sure it helps that I'm only 1.5 hours away, but still .... I'm extremely happy.

I ordered the 40" addi turbo size zero needles. I decided to try the two socks on the magic loop and see how it goes and I needed size zero needles to see how socks knit on that small of needle look. Normally I knit my socks on two size one, addi turbo, 24" needles.

I also ordered two skeins of alpaca yarn in the Tye Dye and Singin' the Blues colorways.





This is added to what my sister, Mavis, sent me for my birthday. She sent me Brooklyn Handspun DayDreaming colorway.



Opal Winter 2154 colorway.



And Mountain Colors Meadow Roving. I have a smaller dowel now on my drop spindle, so I can try it with that. It should help me some.



I guess I need to get knitting again. Good thing I have two scheduled trips to southern CA where I hopefully will finish my shawl and start on some new socks that are going to be fun.

-Myrtle

Too Much Excitement Today

Our family has had way more than it's fair share of excitement today. DS3 and DS4 were cleaning the turtle tank outside this afternoon, when they both decided they needed the hose to wash their respective components.

DS4's hand lost the battle when it was lacerated (1" long and maybe 1/4-3/8" deep) where the thumb meets the palm of the hand by the nossle of the hose. He and I made a trip to the ER where it was ultimately stitched up. He was a trooper though the entire thing, although he'd perfer not having lidacaine injected under the skin again. He says it burns (I agree with this thought), but was ok watching the stitches being put in and even enjoyed joking with the ER team.

-Myrtle

What my sons have taught me?

Today as I was taking DS1 out for his 3rd round of driving lessons, I realized how much my sons had all taught me.

Patience - I never would have thought I would feel comfortable teaching one of my sons to drive, but today I realized it is not that big of a deal. I am ok with slow starts, hard breaking, forgetting to change gears after doing y turns and all. Maybe it is because I can see myself doing the same things. But I know this patiences as he learns a new skill is the same patience I have obtained over the years as my boys wanted to help me cook in the kitchen or how to overcome hard math problems which seem intuitive to me.

Empathy - I can totally feel how nervous he is as he learns a new skill and wants to do well. But I can also help him through the blunders and help him to understand how to do better. Partially because I too have done these things and more to the point because I can understand how hard the process is when you want to please your parent.

Adventure - sitting in the passenger sit and knowing you have no control as your child takes his first steep, gravel, winding hill. Knowing you have no control of the vehicle and trusting you'll be ok and won't hit a tree.

Trust - knowing you can trust the son to go up the hill and knowing that he'll let you know if he thinks he is having problems and needs your help. Ok, so I've seen how he drives the neighbors ATV and the fact I've also allowed him to back the car off ramps after working on it helps. But I do trust his judgement and feel that he is becoming a wonderful, grown up, young man, who did not ask to learn to drive until he felt he was ready versus doing what others were doing just because that is the thing to do.

Now, did everything go ok on this road of driving. Overall yes. He did a great job learning how to do Y turns. He is getting good about parking (we practiced this before church as he drove around the lot pulling into and out of parking places.) How to change from D to a lower gear as you go up a steep, gravel hill so you don't lose traction.

Did he make mistakes yes. He forgot to put it in D after backing out of a neighbors drive and we almost ended up in a ditch. He also cut it a little close as we went over our one lane bridge. But he also realized what he did and how to correct the situation so he wouldn't do it again. And did I panic, No. That was a big one for me. I did learn something from my years of driving. Don't yell at the driver and don't try and take a steering wheel out of their hands.

Overall I'd say lesson 3 went well and who knows after a few more hours of driving our gravel road I might be ready to handle the paved roads. At this point he knows he's not ready and I don't want to be driving them at 10 miles and hour which is as comfortable as he feels to take the car.

Oh, and on good/bad work news, I have my Feb days approved from the 2nd job, so I won't have to make that decision until March now. They didn't approve all those days, but I have another 5 weeks to go before I'll have to make that choice now.

-Myrtle, the one whose hair may go grey sooner now that I have a child learning to drive.

Work Musings

Last fall I worked for a college scanning and editing books for LD students. I'm doing so again this spring and so is Mr. Myrtle. I truly enjoy this and find I feel I'm doing something worth whiled. Alas, this is only a temporary job and in the next several days it will be finished until fall.

This takes me to my second part time job. I'm getting so frustrated with them. Last fall when I interviewed, I explained to them I had another job and that it required traveling approximately once a month for a week. I told them I'd give them as much notice as I could about the travel dates, but I'd need those times off. All went well until this past week. I was told they wouldn't give me my days off in February because I didn't give them enough notice. (I gave them over 4 weeks). They then told me that I hadn't explained to them before I took the job about my required travel for the other one. Argh! That is the one thing I did and they accepted it.

So now I most likely will be quiting my second part time job because I believe they are going to push me over the fact I "will" be gone those dates whether they like it or not. This wasn't my plan; however, I feel like it will be what I have to do.

There is another side of me though that isn't bothered by this. I received my w2's this past week. In 5 weeks of work at the college last fall I made 1/3rd more than I made working 8 weeks at this other job. I then realized that maybe what I needed to do was push more towards my tutoring job possibilities and allow whatever happens to this job happen.

I just wish this wasn't an issue. I'd rather be thinking about the possibility of attending seminary in the fall.

So on a positive note, working as a textbook scanner I get some knitting time (as long as I don't mind if it's only a row or so at a time.) I finally finished my ThreeForks socks (named that because I have 2 shirts which match colors in the socks.)

The photos were taken with a cell phone, so please excuse the bad lighting. The partially finished socks show the true colors. It was taken with a real camera. I'll have to find it back and take the other pictures again.

-Myrtle

Maude, Slow??? I don't think so. :)

Wow, Maude! I can't see how you are the slowest when you work so much. I knew times were hectic, but I didn't realize how much time you are spending at work these days. Are you able to do some of it from home or is it all at the office?

Tell J, congratulations and I hope the two of you enjoy a wonderful 4 days of relaxing.

I can't imagine C only having liquids. He's like my guys and loves to eat and stays oh, so skinny. Do they think this is the last of his oral surgeries now? I am so proud of him and his commitment to getting into the college of his choice. And I know you and J will be ok with where ever he chooses even if closer to home would be nice.

K's new school sounds like a perfect fit. Let us know how the internship goes. She will definitely be learning a lot and your not needing to be involved is great. I wish my two older had something like this available. Both could benefit from that type of environment.

So you've been frogging lately. You'll need to let us see your work at some point. And inquiring minds want to know what the pattern is and what yarn and colorway you went with. I'm always the last to know.

I'm not totally surprised you are a dog lover, but I will admit I thought it was only for cockers with others as ok. There are days I'd give you my girl, but most of the time I love her and her antics.

Oh, and can I say I'm extremely happy your companies server is down for maintenance. It was fun reading about what you all are up to.

-Myrtle

The Slowest Sister

Maude - It is probably about time that I add something to this blog. I have been hesitant to post because I have honestly never read a blog before I read Mavis and Myrtle's postings on this blog. Today I have been given the opportunity to change that and update you on my what is going on in my world. I will however also admit that the opportunitiy has occurred only because the server is down at my office. That makes it impossible to log in and work at the moment. Thank goodness for server maintenance!!!!! :)

My current work days are 10-12 hours long as a general rule. (As one of my co-workers pointed out 12 hours is really only 1/2 a day.) I do not expect this situation to last forever, but it is my current reality due to an overwhealming schedule on an overwhelming project. I have finally reached the point where I need to keep a real schedule that tracks every meeting that I, or one of the people who works for me needs to attend. I also need to track every appointment for a member of my family. By the time that is all filled in my hours from 8:00 to 10:00 are "free". But as every working mother knows, that probably means cleaning the kitchen or doing laundry. I am also trying to knit my first pair of socks (thanks to the encouragement of Mavis and Myrtle). Progress has been slow since as every knitter knows, its not a great idea to fall asleep as you knit. That leads to alot of frogging.

At the same time as I am experiencing this burst of work, the other members of my family are all busy in their own ways.

My husband, J, has just received a recognition from his company for his excellent work that will give he and I the opportunity to spend 4 days at a spa in Scottsdale, Arizona in late March. We are really looking forward to this trip. J is also the backbone of the family at the moment, picking up more than half of the family obligations.

My son, C, is a senior in high school and is really staying serious about keeping up his grades so that he can go to the college of his choice. The unfortunate problem is that he has been accepted by 3 schools and all look equally good for him. Parental pressure would be for the one closest to home (still 4 hours away), but we are trying to let him decide. C also just had surgery on his jaw and is on a pure liquid diet. Imagine trying to keep an 18 year old filled up when he can only eat liquids. The surgery was 1 1/2 weeks ago. Now that he is up and about, we are working on teaching C how to prepare food that he can eat.

My daughter, K, is taking her own path in life. In December we transferred her from a public school to a small progressive school (2000+ students to 44 students). So far the fit seems good and we are crossing our fingers. The school program includes one field day each week where all students go somewhere on a field trip (last week it was the American History Museum) and one day of internship per week. K has been struggling to figure out where she wanted to intern, but last Friday she asked me to see if she could work in my office, so I arranged with one of my co-workers to set up an internship with her in the marketing department (hands off for me since I only occasionally interact with marketing). Tomorrow is the first day and I think it will work well for her.

The dogs Mollie and Bailey say Hi to all! (and do you have any treats to give to us?) They are as cute as any two cockers can be. I was suprised to learn that Mavis did not know I was dog crazy. Cockers are great, but frankly all dogs are wonderful to me. There is nothing like being greeted by a dog at the front door. I guess this is why we need to blog!

Also I would like to note that while I like "Chef", my favorite british comedy is "As Time Goes By". If you haven't seen this series, I suggest you find it and give it a try (public television is a great resource). My favorite line of all time comes from the 2nd episode of the show where Jean says "Tanya wants to know what the green child has to look forward to" and Lionel says "Blending in nicely with the lawn".

Well thats me for a while since I was just notified that the server was back up and I need to transfer some information before midnight Dallas time.

Maude

My first male sock knitter sighting

I've seen people knitting before and I've even seen female sock knitter's, but this was a first for me. Matt graciously allowed me to take a picture of him knitting his first pair of socks. When the picuture was taken he was maybe 4-5" in on the cuff, now he's turned the heel and starting on the foot of his first socks.

Thanks Matt, for letting me share a first for me.

-Myrtle, who just realized years ago when I first started knitting socks it was a male sock knitter (husband of the yarn store I used) who taught me to how to do the kitchener stitch, so I guess Matt is really the second male I've met who knits socks

Mavis, the Tricky

Yes, Mavis, is one tricky lady. First she gets me to give up my log in for the Loopy Ewe on the guise that here account is acting up and she wants to see if it's all accounts doing this or just hers. Then she sneakily orders yarn on my account. Ok, the yarn was destined for my door, but that is besides the point. Her trickiness fails however, because she forget one important point about ordering online. The company sends a confirmation email. So I foiled her surprise Birthday gift for me.

But I am now the proud owner of 2 more skeins of gorgeous sock yarn and a 4 oz hank of beautiful roving. Thanks again Mavis, you are so generous.

Now things actually get even better. She has started me on my way to becoming a Loopy Groupy. I just need to order 5 more times and I'm a Loopy Groupy. Not that I have money right now to do that, but I'm one order closer than I was. And I did get a fun little gift from the Loopy Ewe with my order.

So for those who have never been to the Loopy Ewe, you really need to head there. It's found at http://www.theloopyewe.com/ . You'll have a wonderful time falling in love with lots of stupendous selection of sock yarn and if you are in need of a color fix, Mavis is right, you'll get that as well there. Just watch your cards, because charges seem to sneak on as your wish list becomes your must have list and you just accidentally let your fingers slip and makes an unplanned order. :)

I am looking forward to placing my own order some day, but my wish list does grow and shrink as I add new things and then pull others off because my plans change.

Maybe tomorrow I'll post pictures of my newest stash additions. And then if I actually have time, maybe I'll even create my own personal sock club.

-Myrtle

Color Fix

Sereknity "Tree Frog" top wound up, bottom open skein
The color is rustier than the orange in the picture on The Loopy Ewe website.

2 socks on circular needles

Cristi asked about how I knit socks, so I thought I'd give some details here. I used to knit my socks on double pointed bamboo needles. I still do at times. But I must admit after learning several years ago how to knit two socks on two sets of circular needles that is how I do most of mine. I've found I don't dread the second sock as much this way plus I tend to not make as many mistakes trying to match sizing up now.

I use 2 sets of addi Turbo size 1 needles most of the time and they are 24" long. I've tried the wooden circular, knitpick options needles and I wasn't as happy with them for socks. Plus I must hold my needles too tightly because I broke the wooden portion on one of the sets of needles. However, I do like the options needles for other projects I knit. They just weren't a good fit for me with socks. I have to admit I love the colors of those needles, plus on larger needles I like having a couple of difference size wires and just changing the tips to whatever ones I need for the project.

I'm thinking about getting some size 0 addi turbos and working socks on them. I tend to be a fairly loose knitter so going down another size on traditional sock yarn wouldn't be bad for me. I've found as I knit longer my knitting has become more even in tension and looser. But I'm still not good at swatching yarn for a pattern. I can swatch the same yarns on three different sizes of needles and get the exact same gauge. I don't know anyone else with this capability, but I do it most every time I swatch.

I hope this helps some, Cristi. If not, let me know and I'll talk more. It's much easier to blog when you have someone else helping with your blog topic. Plus I love an excuse not to finish cleaning the couch, which I am now going to do. :)

-Myrtle

Feeling Overwhelmed and other musings

I'm feeling extremely overwhelmed today. I went to help Timothy with his school work and was going to work on my socks while helping him. Instead I started cleaning the corner of our living room where people thought that cleaning meant throwing everything behind the couch. Argh!

I had thought I'd make it through the growing pile of mail on the floor by my computer today and now I'm wondering if that will even happen. I haven't finished the living room and I've been at it for over 2 hours. However, the shelves and cupboard that hold homeschooling books and materials is now cleaned and organized again and the corner looks neat. I just have a pile of stuff on the couch that needs to be dealt with.

The snow is mostly gone now. It was beautiful for the 5 days it lasted even through it was a royal pain to drive in. 12 inches of snow and no 4 wheel drive on a mile long, gravel, road is absolutely no fun. :( The boys did enjoy building 2 snowmen and a snow fort along with sledding for several days.

I know my feeling overwhelmed deals with trying to do too much with too little time. I know it's necessary and that it's only going to keep up for another few weeks, but... I'm just tried of not getting everything that needs to be accomplished each day done.

I want to see Mavis' new projects. She definitely sounds like she has startitis. I on the other hand just want to be able to knit and that isn't happening. The socks are basically in the same place as they were on the trip home and the shawl hasn't progressed. But the shawl has potential to be finished because I have a few more trips to southern CA scheduled over the next three months.

-Myrtle

February 1

It is definitely still winter here! Not as cold as Myrtle's, but brrr. I am a fair weather person. I do wonder how I ended up with an outdoor job. Thank goodness for silk long underwear - warm and thin enough to fit under a uniform.

The good thing is we still have light in the sky at 5:40pm. Thank goodness we are on the increasing light side of the winter solstice! Dec 21 it was definitely DARK at 5:40pm. Of course the clouds and snow meant we did not even see the sunset on Winter Solstice nor sunrise the next day. We even had sunny times off and on this week. Snow, rain, and heavy fog too, but yippee sunshine!

I am dealing with winter by adding color to my life via knitting. I have another serious case of startitis - 2 more pairs of socks (1 green and 1 lavender) and a pair of colorwork fingerless mitts (turquoise and gray). I'll have to take photos and post them soon.

-Mavis