Today was my first day of jury duty. As you know, I had lost my jury slip and had to go to the old courthouse to get a replacement. I got on line and went through security all the while thinking they were going to take away my wood DPNs (they didn't), went to the third floor and got on another line, got my replacement slip, then I went two blocks away to the jury room, got on line there and finally got to sit in the big room where I was prepared to serve my "day or two".
I pulled out my sock and was ready to settle in for the day. The man two rows in front of my was snoring so hard I was sure he was hurting himself. Really, can't you get a brain tumor snoring like that?
After less than an hour, they called a bunch of names including mine. No problem, it'll take up a little time before they send me back to the big room when I can maybe make a list of all the things medically wrong with snoring man. Maybe I could leave it near him anonymously.
The guard, Mike, was very nice and very friendly. He led us through the maze of the new courthouse, and secured us in a room where the air conditioning was set so high I near about froze to death.
To make a long story short, I went through the judge's questions, then on to round two of lawyer questioning called voir dire, and then Mike escorted us to the waiting room while the lawyers "x-ed' out the folks they didn't want. All the while I'm wondering if I can finish a whole sock in a day. Fifteen minutes later, we were back in the courtroom, and they dismissed 11 jurors and kept 5. I was one of the 5. Rats!
No sock knitting in the big room for me. And I was all prepared to give my professional medical opinion to snoring man, albeit anonymously. Um ... did I mention that I have absolutely NO medical training whatsoever? How am I supposed to save snoring man's life if I have to sit on a case?
Anyway, I get to go back to work tomorrow, then it's back to jury duty for the rest of the week. I can live with that, I guess.
Meanwhile, my son took off with the camera, so no pictures of knitting today. Maybe tomorrow.
August 24, 2009
August 21, 2009
No Time
My niece is having a baby and my mother asked me to whip up a few things. Unfortunately, 'whip up' means something different to her than it does to me, but she doesn't knit so she doesn't know that.
I decided to go with something simple, the Baby Albert Coat by Sally Melville from The Knitting Experience book:
I decided to go with something simple, the Baby Albert Coat by Sally Melville from The Knitting Experience book:
It's what I'm calling a sample because I'm using smaller needles than is called for and some old junk yarn I wanted to get rid of. I didn't get the concept of the sweater until I got a ways in because I've been living in la-la land for about 3 weeks now. It's cute, it's garter stitch and it's a fast knit.
The past three weeks have been brain draining. Three weeks ago, my boss knew he was going away, so we cleaned up his desk (and mine). Then I got the notice to appear for jury duty, so this week I was working twice as hard.
Jury duty is Monday. When you get called for jury duty, you get a slip in the mail that says show up or a bench warrant will be issued for your arrest. Okaaaaaaaaaaaay, I'm coming! Sheesh. All I have to do is fill out the card and turn it in when I get to court. That would be fine, except ... I put the card 'up' so I wouldn't lose it. So now where in the world is it? And what do you mean 'no knitting needles allowed?" Oy!
My quest to find a second spinning wheel continues. I made an appointment to meet at Rhinebeck with a woman named Janet Lynn who owns a shop called The Wheel Thing so hopefully I'll leave the festival with my new wheel.
The planning for the trip to Rhinebeck is coming along. There's not a lot to do but worry. Get the money, pay the bus company, meet up on the date and go, right? No. I'm stressing about the size of the bus, trying to consider how the ladies will fare since there's no bathroom on the bus. Is it going to rain/snow? Will it be cold? What if everyone cancels out?
Sleep eludes me every night. Emails are piling up, phone calls haven't been returned, it's 1:00a and I'm just waking up from a nap, and I've got a 2 hour drive to Pennsylvania tomorrow (today, actually) for a party and nothing to wear. My son doesn't want to go, and I don't want to leave him at home.
I'm getting to and through it all. I promise I'll be back on track soon.
August 14, 2009
Fair Isle Forever
The fair isle sweater from Knit Picks is coming along nicely. I picked it up again because there's a million balls of yarn that need to go from stash to wardrobe and since this was started I figured I'd better get to it - again.
Sleeve #1 is still being worked on and while I can see where it all went not so perfect, I'm taking that with me to the grave because it involves me (what else?) not reading the instructions far enough ahead.
The Sipalu bag is ready for blocking, I'll have pictures when it's done. Lining it is going to be problematic since I never had to line anything that wasn't square and flat. We'll see what happens.
Oh, and by the way, my clothes have not had a food fight in 2 days! Yay!
This is my third stranded knitting project in a row (Nordic Lights socks, Sipalu bag and now this), but the only project that involved steeking.
Steeking stresses me out no matter how many articles I read, no matter how many You Tube videos I watch. My knitter friends have done their best to encourage me, I love you all, but I think I should start drinking wine or beer or something (Wild Turkey, Mad Dog, Ripple).
Sleeve #1 is still being worked on and while I can see where it all went not so perfect, I'm taking that with me to the grave because it involves me (what else?) not reading the instructions far enough ahead.
The Sipalu bag is ready for blocking, I'll have pictures when it's done. Lining it is going to be problematic since I never had to line anything that wasn't square and flat. We'll see what happens.
Oh, and by the way, my clothes have not had a food fight in 2 days! Yay!
August 11, 2009
Calgon ... Take Me Away!
Monday, August 10th
Went to work against my will and better judgement. I picked up a croissant and cup of coffee on the way to work to make myself feel better, washed my hands and sat at my desk ready to work.
Until the phone rang. And the cord went around my coffee cup, picked it up and threw it at me. Coffee down pants, on shirt front and spilled on cloth chair. And the call? "Please come up front to get your client". [Insert expletives here]. I cleaned up as best and fast as I could, but I reeked of coffee.
During the course of the morning I did some paperwork and didn't notice the HUGE ink blotch on the palm of my hand until I went to scratch my face. Looked at hand, looked down at my pants and guess what? Yep. Ink.
At this point, I'm hating my job, my life and Mondays.
Now I'm walking around my office with coffee and ink stains on my clothes feeling like I'm being eyeballed and pegged a slob, but I've got this expression on my face that says, 'Hey, before you say something - don't say anything!" (aka my ugly face). The day is still young.
Lunchtime. Can you say egg roll? Now, can you say soy sauce? Front and center of shirt. Ink, soy sauce and coffee.
How about I leave work early at 6:40p which gets me home at 9:10p, go home, shower, sleep and start over?
That would have worked, BUT there was a summons in my mailbox. I have jury duty in 2 weeks. How is that possible? When I postponed last time (the last two times, in fact) the clerk asked me when I wanted to postpone until, and I'm sure I was used my best and clearest voice when I said NEVER. So why is there a summons in my mailbox?
OK, it'll be better in the morning.
Tuesday, August 11
I'm going to be in a good mood, so I put on my best Spring/Summer outfit (sundress with a white jacket - linen) headed to work. Made it past the coffee, made it past the exploding pens, and absolutely NO soy sauce today.
Went to get soup for lunch. Fast. Simple. Safe. Got upstairs to my desk and my white jacket is wet. Wet?
The soup is about 4 inches in from the edge, and the counter is speckled. So I didn't see the soup spilled on the counter. Apparently my white jacket soaked it up. And turned it yellow. Chicken noodle, perhaps.
And what's that smell? chicken? or noodle? and the stain on my dress where my belly button is - beef chili soup.
Went to work against my will and better judgement. I picked up a croissant and cup of coffee on the way to work to make myself feel better, washed my hands and sat at my desk ready to work.
Until the phone rang. And the cord went around my coffee cup, picked it up and threw it at me. Coffee down pants, on shirt front and spilled on cloth chair. And the call? "Please come up front to get your client". [Insert expletives here]. I cleaned up as best and fast as I could, but I reeked of coffee.
During the course of the morning I did some paperwork and didn't notice the HUGE ink blotch on the palm of my hand until I went to scratch my face. Looked at hand, looked down at my pants and guess what? Yep. Ink.
At this point, I'm hating my job, my life and Mondays.
Now I'm walking around my office with coffee and ink stains on my clothes feeling like I'm being eyeballed and pegged a slob, but I've got this expression on my face that says, 'Hey, before you say something - don't say anything!" (aka my ugly face). The day is still young.
Lunchtime. Can you say egg roll? Now, can you say soy sauce? Front and center of shirt. Ink, soy sauce and coffee.
How about I leave work early at 6:40p which gets me home at 9:10p, go home, shower, sleep and start over?
That would have worked, BUT there was a summons in my mailbox. I have jury duty in 2 weeks. How is that possible? When I postponed last time (the last two times, in fact) the clerk asked me when I wanted to postpone until, and I'm sure I was used my best and clearest voice when I said NEVER. So why is there a summons in my mailbox?
OK, it'll be better in the morning.
Tuesday, August 11
I'm going to be in a good mood, so I put on my best Spring/Summer outfit (sundress with a white jacket - linen) headed to work. Made it past the coffee, made it past the exploding pens, and absolutely NO soy sauce today.
Went to get soup for lunch. Fast. Simple. Safe. Got upstairs to my desk and my white jacket is wet. Wet?
The soup is about 4 inches in from the edge, and the counter is speckled. So I didn't see the soup spilled on the counter. Apparently my white jacket soaked it up. And turned it yellow. Chicken noodle, perhaps.
And what's that smell? chicken? or noodle? and the stain on my dress where my belly button is - beef chili soup.
How about I go home early tonight, get to sleep early and start over tomorrow?
August 09, 2009
Sipalu Bag
Whew! I'm almost done with the Sipalu Bag. Seems there is no end to the provisional cast ons (3 times!) and picking up stitches by the hundreds. Still, it's 90% done and I couldn't be happier.
There was a small 'snafu' in that I was using a US #2 32" needle which was fine for the bottom part of the bag, but too long for the top. And since I didn't know where my 16" needle was, I had to wait for Knit Picks to mail me a new needle (along with the rest of the stuff I ordered!).
All I have to do now is the straps. Then I can block it, then line it and find a button. Then it can be wrapped as a holiday gift and I can get started on my next holiday gift.
Hmmm ... wonder what that will be.
There was a small 'snafu' in that I was using a US #2 32" needle which was fine for the bottom part of the bag, but too long for the top. And since I didn't know where my 16" needle was, I had to wait for Knit Picks to mail me a new needle (along with the rest of the stuff I ordered!).
All I have to do now is the straps. Then I can block it, then line it and find a button. Then it can be wrapped as a holiday gift and I can get started on my next holiday gift.
Hmmm ... wonder what that will be.
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