Mother of the Year

About time I get back to this blog thing.
There has not been a great deal of crafting going on around here. A pair of capris will be cut out tonight and the sock plods along slowly, but nothing really exciting in the diy category.

I have been enjoying myself though.
Disneyworld was a lot of fun but insanely hard. Monkey is not an easy kid and being at the Happiest Place on EarthTM didn't make things easier. There were still plenty of screaming fits that make you feel like mother of the year, plus the absence seizures that make me feel sick. But overall I'd call the trip a success.
My sister was in Orlando for a medical conference and the Monkey and I met her there. We started off with the tiny kid rides, but noticed in Pirates of the Caribbean that Monkey's favorite parts were the drops. Turns out that he is tall enough to go on the good stuff, like Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain Railroad (not Space Mountain, sadly. You have to be 45 inches for that). People really look at you like you are insane when you load your three year old onto a roller coaster, but they love it when it rolls back into the station with him laughing and clapping. The crazier the ride, the better if you ask him. He was downright bored on the Peter Pan ride. Splash Mountain prompted singing and clapping.

The only real regret about the trip is that despite carrying it in my backpack the entire time, the sock NEVER ONCE got pulled out.

Sewing

The sewing world does not seem to be as online as the knitting community. Disappointing because I bought several patterns yesterday and there is not a single other person who seems to have used the pattern and written about it. And I would really like to see someone else's execution of what these capris are going to look like in real life, so as to get some pointers before I get started. If this was a knit pattern that hit bookshelves yesterday, today there would be 9 knitters out there with detailed stats about what yarn they used/needle size/gauge, what size they knit, pictures of the finished product on a real body, what alterations they made, their opinion of the pattern, and a picture of their cat looking adorable.

Technically there is a photo on the front, but this leggy model's body is no more comparable to mine than a framework made of popsicle sticks would be. She's also wearing 5 inch platform sandals, something I rarely slip on for a jaunt to the supermarket or playgroup.

I would be posting the before mentioned details on the pattern right now but I only got as far as prewashing the fabric and ironing before my sister broke my sewing machine. Oops. She was nice enough to go order the part before telling me. I hope I didn't come across as mad, because more than anything this really cracked me up-so much for our craftacular weekend.

The monkey, and therefore me, has been very busy this last week. First a general physical to meet his current doctor and get a neuro referral, then a screening visit to see if he is delayed enough for speech therapy. Slam dunk there, which meant a hearing test too (passed with flying colors). Next comes a long evaluation of how well he actually speaks. Then how well he listens and processes. Plus a visit with occupational therapy. Someday all this will be done and he will start speech therapy and once or twice a week I may get a chance to KNIT again!
Which would be awesome.
Because I haven't even turned the heel on this one yet.

Teeth

Today was the third and final day of much needed work on my teeth and I am so delighted to have it done. I keep running my tongue around my mouth and smiling; for problems that no one else could see I was terribly self-conscious of them. Plus if I bit wrong the pain left a lot to be desired. But I am all reconstructed and so happy now.
During procedures I kept my sock-in-progress on my lap. Not that I have the concentration to knit while having my mouth worked on, more of a security item. Thinking about what a Crafty job dentistry is helped me be less freaked-out too. Dentist drill? Just a teeny tiny Dremmel.
Now I just hope I'm never so broke again that I have to wait as long between checkups.

Grrrrrr

Why yes, that is a finished sock with the toe un-kitchnered. I had a darning needle around here somewhere, a needle that actually had some sentimental value, but it seems to be missing.

It is 1am and I'm up knitting and blogging because I'm too wound up to sleep. One week from tomorrow Monkey will be evaluated to determine what his deficiencies are, so he can begin speech therapy. But until he learns to communicate I still have to live with him grunting and shrieking any time he wants something. Or doesn't want something. Or is bored. Or excited. Or it is just too quiet. Like, say, tonight; when he can hear my brain start to relax and decides to scream for an hour. No half-assed cries either, but full strength Soylent Green is people! screaming. So it's not shocking that my gauge is a little tight tonight.

Thank goodness for knitting, otherwise I'd be eating ice cream straight from the carton.

This morning I was expecting some serious weather. Thunderstorms had been predicted for all day. We even got upgraded to a tornado warning, and then a tornado watch. 100% humidity, but not one drop of rain. Looks like we got lucky.

I have the potential to be doing a lot of knitting for others in the next little while. Good news from my brother last night, he and his wife are expecting a baby! And my little sister seems to be falling head over heels for a guy... So I surmise, she's always with him and therefore never catches my phone calls. I've decided not to start anything for her until I get a confirmation that she might like something lacy for her potential big day. The pre-baby will get a tiny pair of cammo socks from the perfect yarn sent to me by the lovely and talented Jennifer for the Knit Sock Kit Swap. Absolutely perfect for my brother's baby and will still leave plenty left over for socks for me.

In case you were wondering...

A Dyson vacuum cleaner pays for itself when it effectively removes fish food from your laptop.

Baklava

I sit here tonight, impatiently, waiting for my baklava to cool enough to eat. Did you know that most of the recipes tell you to bake and then wait 24 hours to eat? Who has that much self control? The whole house smells like butter; it's all I can do to not gnaw off my own arm waiting for it to cool enough to avoid serious burns.

But still I celebrate, because I have my computer hooked up now and once again have the ability to post pictures. Yipee! And with such abilities, you get to see the awesome job I did of boiling over the honey glaze.

There has been knitting lately, but none of it is really at that picture taking state yet so I should get to work. I leave you tonight with a photo of our Saturday sky:




Eta: This is the recipe I used for the baklava. Piece of cake, anyone can do it. The hard part is done for you by the lovely people at Athens, who use whatever arcane magic that creating phyllo dough takes. It probably is a lot more fun to cook with someone else in the kitchen with you, because the layering does take some time. If you are by yourself, I recomend a little Jimi Hendrix.

Second Annual Brigid in Cyberspace Poetry Reading

In celebration of the Second Annual Brigid in Cyberspace Poetry Reading, I present you with one of my favorite poems. Not the most bright and cheerful of poems, but the depth of emotion expressed is nearly tangible.

The Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827) is considered one of the 4 great Japanese poets. He was remarkably prolific, leaving more than 20,000 haiku in journals when he passed. He wrote this after the death of his daughter Sato. Dew is a common symbol for the Buddhist theme of the transience of all things. According to Buddhist teaching, life is as fleeting as the dew and we should eschew attachment to the things of this world. But he can't quite let go, his heart aches with the profound loss.

This world of dew
Is but a world of dew
And yet, and yet

Poetry, especially haiku, is difficult to translate (the above is the translation that best expresses the feel of the original Japanese, imo). This has also has been translated as:

this world
is a dewdrop world
yes... but...

And in Japanese for those of you who are picky about such things (like myself)

tsuyu no yo wa
tsuyu no yo nagara
sari nagara

Poll

So I have a serious question for all you knitters out there:
Monkey and I are getting ready to go to an Air Force playgroup for the first time. Do I bring knitting, which has the potential of helping me meet other knitters or possibly start up a conversation with someone who wants to learn, or do I go knit-free, because I really really really need to make some friends and my social anxiety disorder may just cause me to bury my nose in the yarn and never make a peep?

Yipee!

Today this bad ass grrl bundled up, snuggled the monkey cozily into the bike trailer, rode to the auto parts store on base, picked up a new battery for the car, took it home and installed it.
The car again lives.
I feel so awesome.

Stupid car

I was totally going to get a spinning wheel for Valentines day, but the car won't start this morning. Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap. The problem better be something inexpensive. It is freakishly cold too, like 31 degrees. Making the bike and trailer less than delightful, but still necessary because we are out of diapers. Perhaps there has never been a better time to potty train the monkey, a task that has only been neglected because he can't get his pants on by himself yet.
At least things went well at the dentists. I was embarrassed but they were very kind. Stuff is getting fixed. And my teeth do feel remarkably clean.

What can I wear that makes me look not nervous...

Being newly covered by actual dental insurance, in a few hours Monkey will find himself at a babysitters for the first time ever and I won't even get to enjoy my time alone. This has created more than a small amount of anxiety (though whether it is more about the teeth or the babysitter is unclear) and I just keep sitting here thinking I'd rather be going to see the gyno.

Believe me, simply brushing your teeth 3 or 4 times a day does not prevent cavities. This is remarkably unfair.

I wonder if I can lay in the chair and work on my current sock?

Florida, some more

So I am finally settled in my lovely new home, at least as much as anyone can be settled when all your bookcases arrived sans shelves. No place to rest books, just tall, empty boxes. It is quite lovely here, mere minutes walking with the Monkey's reluctant steps to the beach. It is not that he doesn't love the beach, but he is at that 40 lb. stage where he prefers to be carried CONSTANTLY. Excepting just that, a lot of behavioral issues have extinguished themselves now that he and I are not couch surfing but have planted ourselves firmly here with Marc. Our new home is beautiful with tall ceilings and an actual back yard. I cried when we finally got our keys, I haven't had a back yard since I was a kid and the Monkey never has. The yard needs some work, as previous occupants had a dog much like this one, but the Air Force has given me all supplies I need. Seriously. Dirt, seeds, plants in the spring. Amazing! Living on base rocks! And I love the work, especially with Monkey helping with his tiny garden tools. Not much planting quite yet (it has been recommended I wait until February when the temperature doesn't have the occasional freak trips into the 30s,) but lots and lots of pruning trees that need the love and removing expired or just plain hideous bushes. Quite therapeutic. Not a lot of knitting going on, we have been rather busy and I seem to have misplaced my Adamas shawl (!) but I've been reading EZ and I am INSPIRED. Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts and emails. Now that our house is finally online updates should begin again. Now where did that lace go anyway...

Florida

Just a big quick hug for everyone out there in internet land. I'm in Florida, it is beautiful, and we found out today that there are no 2 bedroom homes available, so they are giving us a 3 bedroom. Happy Birthday! My boys reunion in the airport was as adorable as could be imagined, with the Monkey yelling "Daddy!" and running down the hall to him. I'm even getting some knitting in :)
More when things are a little more stable, even with a finished object or two.

Hurray!

Just got a call from Marc and on-base short term housing does have room! Funny how these things change in just a day. Packing up all my stuff today, finishing Christmas preparations. Last night I gave up on sewing a paintbrush roll (same as a knitting needle roll, just for paint brushes) when I couldn't find any cute red fabric so I just bought one and feel so much better for it. Actually read the instructions for Knucks and am putting them together correctly this time. Fell asleep with them in my hands while reading EZ's Knitting Workshop and had knitting dreams. Awesome.

Motivate me!

I have so much to do right now that I am overwhelmed to the point of complete inactivity. Every new thing I remember I need to do makes me want to do everything less. When the Monkey decides he wants lunch I'll probably lapse into a coma.
Thursday at 0700 we fly to Utah.
Friday the movers come and pick up all our crap stuff. This in a way terrifies me, because they are supposed to inventory everything which means opening all my terribly packed boxes. They will see that I've packed my dishes with tshirts, that my Kitchenaid is wrapped in a feather duvet, and the last several boxes I packed are helpfully labeled as "Stuff" and "Things."
Saturday we fly to Florida (!) to finally see that guy I think I married or something. It has been a long time.
Who knows what happens after that. According to my planning-ahead-kind-of-a-guy, he informs me last night that there is no room in apartment-style billeting (short term housing). There is also no on-base housing available. Freaking awesome. At least our car will be there by then, as it was my job to have it shipped.
Perhaps some accountability will get some things done here though. Today I need to:
-get suitcases, which can not happen before mom gets home (no car) done!
-Michaels for candy bags (also must wait) done!
-divide up candy amongst recipients (five kinds! yum!) done!
-glue tops on Ukrainian eggs and divide them up done!
-pack in a preliminary fashion, or at least clean room done!
-vacuum
-bake bread done!
-get fabric and sew SIL a paint brush roll on my mom's crappy sewing machine (also needs a car) done without the work-I bought one!
-mail hats for Soaring Eagle Project
-order cat drinking fountain for my sister

Stupid Cheetos...

You know, Christmas is getting close. I'm running out of time to screw around and knit non-gift stuff. I've even hung up my sock for the time being (after doing a really cool short row heal thanks to the fabulous advice from Misocrafty and the Knitting Fiend). So when I screw something up and waste a day, I am rather frustrated. I started a quick hat for my Monkey today. I want to give him something that isn't silly and last minute; we probably will still be in temp housing on base on Christmas, and that doesn't really lead to a festive atmosphere. I think. This is all new to me, I'm literally making up what it is going to be like in my head.
Anyway, started a cute easy hat for him while riding to the Train museum today, while watching him play in the Thomas exhibit, while riding the Santa Express train. And I was just not happy with my stripes. All wrong, somehow. Damnit. After ripping multiple times, but not as far back as really needed it, I cast off the cursed three inches and called it a headband. Enjoy it, Mom, but please don't wear it tomorrow, I don't really want to look at it right now.
Also, the bag of chips I confiscated from the monkey are kind of stale. Or perhaps that is how baked Cheetos are supposed to taste.
Why don't I ever knit something chunky?
I did figure out a jogless stripe though, desperately thinking back to reading instructions in Knitty maybe a year ago.

Shedir, again!

At Thanksgiving my brother was in town, and was blown away by the complete awesomeness of my Shedir hat. Plucking it from my head, he instructed me to "make mine about an inch longer, and a color that looks good with desert cammo"(he is in the army, and will probably be wearing desert cammo soon.) Done! Same pattern modifications as last time, with the exception of knitting 9 or 10 rows of plane ribbing before getting to the good part.

Hot dog Christmas time rocks. Big time motivation to get lots and lots of smaller projects done, ignoring large projects that you worked on all summer but still haven't finished. Ahem. Not that I don't have two of those.
Tomorrow starts candy week for me as well. If I do one different type of candy each day before I hop on a plane and begin several days of wandering the country I will have plenty of delicious snacks (and cavities) to put in everyone's basket.

Shedir, take 2

Saturday night I started another Shedir, with the goal of finishing it by tomorrow. Inexplicably, it is taking all my discipline to stick to knitting this hat for my brother, and not, say, turn the heel on my brainless sock-in-progress. Socks for me, because I'm selfish. When I knit this pattern for myself I couldn't put it down. I seem to be feeling a wee bit grinchy today. Not grumpy, grinchy. I finished and mailed off a custom order for a half dozen Ukrainian eggs yesterday; I should concentrate on the warm glow of accomplishment finishing something for someone else brings. On the other hand, a half-finished shedir does make a lovely tree topper.

Weekend

Finally all the Thanksgiving guests are gone, for which I am thankful. I haven't been on the computer for days, due to its constant use by people who have important research papers due, or some crap like that. Silly students, use your laptops! Anyway, I finished a shawl just in time for this weekend. Not one of the knit ones. I did not compete (I don't have full regalia yet) but danced in many of the open social dances. Monkey sometimes accompanied me.
It was WONDERFUL.