Life….

…has struck here. Too many things causing me worry and no desire to knit. I am still toiling on the shawl I ripped out in March. Halfway through the last skein and wondering when to stop knitting. I tried to start a pair of fingerless mitts, but not too enthused about them. I still need to knit one more sleeve on the sweater and then seam and knit the massive collar and edgings.

I am hoping a quick trip to Stitches South will change the knitting funk. Drama from High School and Middle School is infecting our house and I need to get away from it. And I get to spend some time with a best bud who is moving to Chattanooga, so it’s all good.

We are driving down on Friday noon and will stay until after noon on Saturday. No classes I want to take, so it’s just market shopping for us. And meeting up with some friends of hers for dinner.

I just discovered there is a Maggiano’s at Cumberland Mall, across the way from the convention site, so I know where I will be grabbing some food from. Take out for home? But what to bring home? Chicken Saltimboca? Lasagna? Elder has already requested Chicken Parmesan.

Where am I?

I have long been absent. No real reason, other than Spring Break for the most part. But even before and after I have just not had the desire to blog. The knitting has been non-existent until today.

Short updates:

Elder was diagnosed with Mono before Spring Break. She has a less severe case of it. Just very tired.

During our Spring Break trip to Florida I thought Younger had heat stroke or dehydration. Upon getting home and her symptoms not getting better we went to the Dr. Strep was ruled out, so consensus is, she has Mono like big sis. Elder is still recovering, Younger is down. Now to cross fingers that I don’t end up with it. Hubster is immune, he had it in high school.

Good news. Heading back to Florida in a few weeks to complete a move from one condo to the other. Going from 8th floor in one building to 5th floor in another. That’s a good thing as I don’t like heights. My brother is going from the 5th floor to the 19th! Eek!  I felt very unstable when we went up to see their new unit. Stayed away from the balcony.

Busy weeks coming up. Elder made National Honor Society, so we have a program to attend for recognition of that. Younger has cheer tryouts for her new school and is joining a soccer team. And the wind down to school is begun with 8th grade graduation plans and parties. I can’t believe school is done in less than 2 months!

That’s it from me. I am sure all 2 of you who read this didn’t even notice I was gone. LOL!

Prayers are badly needed

When it rains, it pours. Much needed prayer tonight.

• Friend lost her dad last week. Prayers for Gina and family.
• 2nd friend just lost her dad this weekend. This comes on the heals of losing her mother 8 weeks ago. Prayers for Brooksie and family.
• My cousin’s FIL is on Hospice Care at the moment. Not sure how much longer he will be with us. Prayers for Annette and her siblings.
• Cousin’s wife lost her brother today. He had many issues and it was just time for him to go. Prayers for Leana and family.
• Local houses destroyed in fire. At last count I am hearing 4 houses. 1 person believed dead. Evidently there was an explosion in my BIL’s neighborhood. Not sure from the photos how close to his house.
• My SIL’s great-nephews were caught in a burning van. The 7 month old is badly burned over 90% of his body. He is in Cinci for critical care. His big brother, age 4, is not as badly hurt. We do not know at this point what caused the fire. They were left unsupervised for an unspecified amount of time in the van. The dad was slightly burned trying to rescue them. Prayers for Amanda and her family.
• And my Eldest got dumped by her Prom date. He just said yes yesterday and then today backtracked his answer. Boys!! High School Boys!!! She was on cloud nine yesterday. Finally had her date, her dress and her shoes. Gah! She needs good vibes, please.

God knows the needs of each of these situations. When we bring our prayers before him, he listens and will act upon them. May we recognize the answers he gives.

Lessons. I am learning a few myself. I recently decided to give up Reese Cup Blizzards from DQ as a sacrifice for Lent. Not being Catholic, I had never observed this practice. I was stopping by DQ too often, oh, it started innocently enough with just the mini sizes, and then progressed to the small sizes. I needed to take action. Now, I have never considered myself a strong person. And boy, and I finding that to be the truth! I have struggled with not buying Blizzards something fierce. I have actually felt the presence of the Devil telling me to just go ahead, no one will know. And I answer right back at him, God will, and I will! And, each time I experience that struggle I think about how a Blizzard is SOOOOOO small compared to the sacrifice God, and his son Jesus, made for me. I am having a hard time not buying a Blizzard? Really? My life doesn’t depend on that Blizzard. How can I even compare my struggle to the one Christ faced? Feeling so dejected for using a Blizzard as a sacrifice, I realized, it isn’t the value of the sacrifice God wants me to note. It’s the spotlight it puts on Christ’s sacrifice that I am supposed to see. Sometime we just need these little reminders.

Sorry for the down post, but this is life at the moment. Knitting has taken a back seat for many reasons, but I do hope to get some done tomorrow at knitting. And then it’s time for a break. Heading to Daytona with one daughter and her friend. The rest of the fam is staying behind with the dogs. Poor them!

FO Friday #11, or is it?

If you read the blog of WIP Wednesday you will know that I have/had a dilemma. I finished and blocked a shawl, TGV, but disliked it’s lack of give on the ribbing border. Hmmm, what’s up with that? So I dithered about what to do. A message from the designer, who had seen my note of dissatisfaction, revealed I had left out an instruction. The increase between body and border. Doh! Obviously, it wasn’t going to stand as is, so what did I do?

But first, the before shots:

 

Misti Alpaca Handpaint Worsted, yummy!

The photos don’t really show how tight the edges are, or how much the bottom curled when you tried to wrap it around. So, what to do. I listed some options and pretty much went with the option I expected I would. So, instead of leaving it in time out I ripped back to the ribbing and have now restarted it. I am doing an increase at each edge on the right side only. I knit in ribbing a few rows and then did an increase row as follows: K1, KFB. Then I did 8 rows of short rows. I will knit an even row and then do another increase row and follow a rate of K3, KFB. More short rows, an even row and then another increase row, K5, KFB, more short rows, knit even and the last increase row of K7, KFB, ending with some even rows and a stretchy bind off.

I know this redo will crack into my 3rd skein, and I am OK with it. I figure the leftovers can be used for a headband or something else small depending on the amount I have left. It’s not like 217 yards of it will yield much of anything anyway. And I will be happier with it. The short rows will give me more depth without adding too much width. I did this same technique on my MIL’s shawl I made ages ago. Should have gotten a photo of the back! About the point where it wraps to the front is where I stopped/started my short rows. The pattern is As You Like It from a semi-local designer.

OK, so that’s my non FO story. Check back next week for the true FO Friday #11. In the mean time, check with Tami for all the truly FO’d Fridays!