ten on tuesday

10 things that scare/freak you out:

• the state of the US economy
  
• the fact that some of my students could well be my caregiver when I'm old and in some home
  
• what little sense many people use
  
• that some people may actually vote for the McCain/Palin ticket
  
• that Congress defeated the bill for the bail out
  
• that the money I've invested for my children's education and our retirement is worth less now that when I invested it (i should have put it under the mattress)
  
• what will be left of the earth for my grandchildren to enjoy
  
• horror flicks with religious undertones (or overtones)
  
• my weight
  
• this list
  

i should also add

• something bad happening to my kids or DH
  
• heights... well actually falling from said height
  
• losing a loved one without being able to say goodbye
  
• not living up to what I was put on earth to do
  
• missing seeing my kids grow up
  

OK that was 15 for the week.... guess I'm just a scaredey cat

arachnids

Halloween is around the corner so I thought I'd share our resident spiders found outside the house and I hate to disturb nature, but thought someone might be able to ID them
Found on the front porch with prey spun up:



Found hanging out at the boys window (It looks like an orb weaver, but doesn't eat its web):


with flash for details:

I'm thinking that this is an Araneus diadematus more commonly known as one of the orb weaver spiders or European Garden spider (even though we're not in Europe)

now this I like!

I'm a Mercedes SLK!

You appreciate the finer things in life. You have a split personality - wild or conservative, depending on your mood. Wherever you go, you like to travel first class. Luxury, style, and fun - who could ask for more?

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Yesterday I stopped at 2 thrift stores looking for 100% cotton sheets to tie dye and make curtains for my room in the new school so I wouldn't have to look into the messy storage area the custodians have... no luck. Only found cotton/poly blends which don't dye so well. I'll keep my eyes open. But I did find a men's L American Eagle Outfitter sweater in a dark terra cotta tweed that was cable knit. It was marked 4.99 but the tag was the color of the day so it was 50% off. I frogged it and got 1365 yards of sportweight yarn that is 80% lambswool and 20% nylon for $2.50! I think it will make great felted pumpkins and may mix it with a bit of orange (I'll ply them together) from my stash. The color kinds of reminds me a lot of Peace Fleece's Sheplova Mushroom

I'm 2/3 of the way through wild stripes. If I had knitted instead of harvesting yesterday I may have been finished. Just needed a break from all that stockinette.

It's pouring rain today. I was going to work in the garden. Should have done that yesterday I guess. Oh well

at least

I'm as smart as an 8th grade science student

Created by OnePlusYou Free Dating Sites

Still working on wild stripes. My job is wearing me out. I can't stay awake at night to knit. Therefore, I have, unfortunately, nothing to show :-( Those little kids really wear me out!

wierdness

so the pitch pipe pouch I made Mom for her birthday was absconded by the director of here woman's singing group. The director sent (through mom) a thank you note for it. Mom, why don't you just tell her that it was YOUR birthday gift. well anyway, I guess I'll be making another.

we got to see the niece and her DH (and their friends) today. Haven't seen them since before they moved to England. The SIL was there too... all those crazy Americans living far far away!

And yesterday we finally met Mabel. DS1 was enthralled with her. It was really fun to watch him interact with a baby. SO different that we're used to.

I'm pooped... no pictures even though DH and I took a beginning DSLR class for Olympia on Saturday. It was very well presented but I didnt' learn what I wanted to learn. Guess I have to go to the intermediate class for that... all the technical stuff about F stop and aperture, etc. and how it affects your pictures (or I could just play with the camera and figure it out myself)

ANd the week begins again. Sunday evenings depress me!

quickie

post that is....

Today was another hellish day, well at least it started that way. I forgot the keys to the Elementary Center, not the end of the world, but a bit of an inconvenience. I spilled coffee down the front of my white sweater and then while making a U turn, I ran into the curb a tiny bit but blew out the tire.... then DS2 decided (while I was still in the hallway at school) to go into my office. His morning routine is to draw on the chalkboard... which is fine, but not with the black marker that he chose this morning. Fortunately, I got it all off while it was still wet. Then we had Officer Phil come in. So I missed 2 classes... why am I complaining, you might ask? Cuz I much rather be teaching than sitting in an assembly (not once, but twice) Oh well. Lily, tomorrow will be better (thank you Kevin Henkes and Lily and the Purple Plastic Purse)

I forgot stuff at the older school and had to walk back over during my only free 20 minutes to get it.

On to better stuff. This is the yarn I won at Kathleen Taylors site. Purty isn't it? I'm thinking a BSJ jacket or perhaps mixing it with Lambs Pride Cotton Fleece for a stripey blanket.


Recently finished (and already gifted) were these booties:

Pattern: Grandmas' Favorite Booties from the 2007 Pattern a Day Calendar (May 26/27) by Doreen L Marquat
Yarn: Red Heart Eco-Cotton Blend (75% recycled cotton)
Color: Almond
Needle: US6
Recipient: Grandbaby Smale

There should be an additional Purl row (row 20) before the instep shaping is begun. I noticed this the first time I made these booties (and didn't add it) so I made sure to put it in this time.

The package all together looks pretty good if I have to say so myself. The baby will be delivered via c-section Monday morning, so I gave the gift to grammy yesterday at school.

Still working on the wild stripes and that baby was delivered today..oops. For some reason, I have been sleeping like crazy (read going to bed before 10) That has to stop now.

I got Warm Fuzzies in the mail today. Can't wait to make something from it from those many sweaters I have in the basement that won't be frogged!


Brownies (and their siblings) went apple picking this evening at Strawberry Acres. Everyone had so much fun. They had a little lesson before hand, then rode the open bus to the fields. We saw a deer on the way back. Then pet the animals (bunnies, goats and llamas) and then played on the turbo tube. Of course, I forgot the camera. I hope Heather mails me some photos!

What a girl. She was reading my mind and sent a ton! Thank you. But this by far is the funniest of many of the moms

Can you guess which animal I chose to put my face on?

gotta go play mom

Top 100 Songs Meme
Being a musician I felt the urge to do this meme! rhoda had this up on her blog and I thought why not?

The rules:
A.) Go to music outfitters

B.) Enter the year you graduated from high school in the search function and get the list of 100 most popular songs of that year

C.) Bold the songs you like, strike through the ones you hate

Top 100 Hits of 1977/Top 100 Songs of 1977


1. Tonight's The Night, Rod Stewart
2. I Just Want To Be Your Everything, Andy Gibb
3. Best Of My Love, Emotions
4. Love Theme From "A Star Is Born", Barbra Streisand
5. Angel In Your Arms, Hot
6. I Like Dreamin', Kenny Nolan
7. Don't Leave Me This Way, Thelma Houston
8. (Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher And Higher, Rita Coolidge
9. Undercover Angel, Alan O'Day
10. Torn Between Two Lovers, Mary MacGregor
11. I'm Your Boogie Man, K.C. and The Sunshine Band
12. Dancing Queen, Abba
13. You Make Me Feel Like Dancing, Leo Sayer
14. Margaritaville, Jimmy Buffet
15. Telephone Line, Electric Light Orchestra
16. Whatcha Gonna Do?, Pablo Cruise
17. Do You Wanna Make Love, Peter McCann
18. Sir Duke, Stevie Wonder
19. Hotel California, Eagles
20. Got To Give It Up, Pt. 1, Marvin Gaye
21. Theme From "Rocky" (Gonna Fly Now), Bill Conti
22. Southern Nights,, Glen Campbell
23. Rich Girl, Daryl Hall and John Oates
24. When I Need You, Leo Sayer
25. Hot Line, Sylvers
26. Car Wash, Rose Royce
27. You Don't Have To Be A Star, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr.
28. Fly Like An Eagle, Steve Miller Band
29. Don't Give Up On Us, David Soul
30. On And On, Stephen Bishop - I would double bold this.. .I LOVED this song
31. Feels Like The First Time, Foreigner
32. Couldn't Get It Right, Climax Blues Band
33. Easy, Commodores
34. Right Time Of The Night, Jennifer Warnes
35. I've Got Love On My Mind, Natalie Cole
36. Blinded By The Light, Manfred Mann's Earth Band
37. Looks Like We Made It, Barry Manilow
38. So In To You, Atlanta Rhythm Section
39. Dreams, Fleetwood Mac
40. Enjoy Yourself, Jacksons
41. Dazz, Brick
42. I'm In You, Peter Frampton
43. Lucille, Kenny Rogers
44. The Things We Do For Love, 10cc
45. Da Doo Ron Ron, Shaun Cassidy
46. Handy Man, James Taylor
47. Just A Song Before I Go, Crosby, Stills and Nash
48. You And Me, Alice Cooper
49. Slow Dancin', Johnny Rivers
50. Lonely Boy, Andrew Gold
51. I Wish, Stevie Wonder
52. Don't Stop, Fleetwood Mac
53. Barracuda, Heart
54. Strawberry Letter 23, Brothers Johnson
55. Night Moves, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
56. You're My World, Helen Reddy
57. Heard It In A Love Song, Marshall Tucker Band
58. Carry On Wayward Son, Kansas
59. New Kid In Town, Eagles
60. My Heart Belongs To Me, Barbra Streisand
61. After The Lovin', Engelbert Humperdinck
62. Jet Airliner, Steve Miller Band
63. Stand Tall, Burton Cummings
64. Way Down, Elvis Presley
65. Weekend In New England, Barry Manilow
66. It Was Almost Like A Song, Ronnie Milsap
67. Smoke From A Distant Fire, Sanford Townsend Band
68. Cold As Ice, Foreigner
69. Ariel, Dean Friedman
70. Lost Without Your Love, Bread
71. Star Wars Theme-Cantina Band, Meco
72. Float On, Floaters
73. Jeans On, David Dundas
74. Lido Shuffle, Boz Scaggs
75. Keep It Comin' Love, K.C. and The Sunshine Band
76. You Made Me Believe In Magic, Bay City Rollers
77. Livin' Thing, Electric Light Orchestra
78. Give A Little Bit, Supertramp
79. That's Rock 'N' Roll, Shaun Cassidy
80. Love So Right, Bee Gees
81. The Rubberband Man, Spinners
82. I Never Cry, Alice Cooper
83. Nobody Does It Better, Carly Simon
84. High School Dance, Sylvers
85. Love's Grown Deep, Kenny Nolan
86. Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman), Joe Tex
87. I Wanna Get Next To You, Rose Royce
88. Somebody To Love, Queen
89. Muskrat Love, Captain and Tennille
90. Walk This Way, Aerosmith
91. Whispering-Cherchez La Femme-C'est Si Bon, Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band
92. Year Of The Cat, Al Stewart
93. Boogie Nights, Heatwave
94. Go Your Own Way, Fleetwood Mac
95. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word, Elton John
96. Don't Worry Baby, B.J. Thomas
97. Knowing Me, Knowing You, Abba
98. How Much Love, Leo Sayer
99. Star Wars (Main Title), London Symphony Orchestra
100. Devil's Gun, C.J. and Co.


I have to admit, there are some on here I don't even remember! I think I often listened to music that was NOT popular during that time.

10 on tuesday

10 simple things that make you happy:

• my morning coffee
  
• kisses from my kids
  
• chores completed by surprise by someone else
  
• yarn
  
• simple knitting notions
  
• comments left on my blog
  
• compliments
  
• finding a great bargain
  
• simple surprises
  
• being reminded that i'm loved
  

eating my words

so I know I just won that gorgeous necklace and lo and behold, Kathleen Taylor leaves a comment on my post to tell me that I won 2 skeins of Knitpicks main line yarn from her blog! I can't stand the excitement (OK I really can, I am getting the winning bug) I am dumbstruck, at a loss for words (and for me that's saying quite a lot!)

Kathleen blogs about her passions: knitting (including many free patterns on freebie fridays), music, books and paper dolls. She's the author of Knit One, Felt Two and I Heart Felt and Yarns to Dye For and her prayer shawl pattern is on the cover of the Prayer Shawl book (soon to be released) Go visit and say hi!

Today was a LOONG day... first the coffee grinder stopped working... before the coffee was made. That had the makings of a bad start to the week. I spent 30 minutes trying to get it going, but alas I believe the motor is burned out. This is our 2nd sunbeam doffee grinder in 2 years. DH asked if I had time to stop at the local kisok for a mug but no I had spent too much time trying to fix the grinder. Then the car I usually take on Mondays was out of gas, (no I didn't leave it that way) so I did what any wife would do and took the other car! Fortunately I didn't have to sub for the fifth grade teacher again this afternoon (that was Friday...took any and all free time I had) there was someone there for the whole day.

I made mom a pouch for her pitch pipe... forgot to take a picture of it though... maybe I can get a picture next weekend. And I hope the pitchpipe fits in it. From sock yarn that I made my Charade socks in.

Hopefully, with any luck and some staying awake tonight, I'll finish the pair of baby booties to go along with the sweater and hat.

Wild stripes is coming along about 1/3 of the knitting. The baby will be born on Thursday. Thankfully, it's too warm to need this blankie, so I'll just tell its mom and dad that the gift is still gestating!

Maybe pictures in my next post??

Oh and I got my package from my love2knit dishcloths exchange partner today. Question is can I wait until Oct 1st to open it???

I also bought some Spunky Eclectic sock yarn off a ravelry member. It's in her harvest colorway and I have the perfect pair of socks to knit for it. I found the pattern after I had one monkey sock finished. A pattern that I was looking for but didn't have of leaves because I thought that colorway would make great fall leaf socks. Well I wasn't going to rip out a whole sock, not during the olympics, so when I saw this yarn I knew I had to buy it. It's a beautiful varigation of greens, golds, browns and oranges, perfect for fall leaves. Now to dig out the pattern (even though I should be knitting Christmas gifts right now!)

I'm almost finished sewing the patches on DD's new brownie sash. I think I'll save the numbers for tmrw night. No sense in getting them done too early before the next meeting (LOL)

My colleague captaincosmic and I were choosing music for our joint spring concert which will be on Earth Day and hopefully in the town park. natch the theme for the concert is Earth Day related. I used to have this Sesame Street Tape called We are all Earthlings, but alas about 7 years ago it broke. I was looking for the tape to buy online and the only place I could find it was amazon for almost $50.00 yup you read that right fifty for a cassette that is 15 years old. Needless to say, I wasn't about to spend that on it. Fortunately some thrifty friends on ravelry pointed me to youTube and there I found video clips of the songs we were interested in using. Here's on of my absolute faves:
Love the Ocean
(if anyone can tell me how to drop the video in, I'd appreciate it!)

some fo's and a prize

first my prize!

remember back here I talked about how I won a prize on the net and I never win anything? Well here's a picture of said prize:

gorgeous isn't it? It's my birthstone in the center.

The giveaway's current prize is a Custom Postman Display Cabinet from Black Mountain Furniture You've got to check it out!

now for the knitting stuff. I left the wild stripes blanket at school by mistake on Friday. So I opted for knitting for a different baby!

Pattern: Baby Kimono from Mason-Dixon Knitting
Yarn: Red Heart Eco-Cotton Blend
Color: Linen Marl
Needle: US6
Modifications: seamed so that the reverse stockinette is the right side!

and


Pattern: Umbilical Cord Hat from Stitch 'n Bitch
Yarn: Red Heart Eco-Cotton Blend
Color: Almond
Needle: US6
recipient: grandbaby Smale

I have baby booties on the needles right now to go along with all this. Mom is being induced Sept 22. Of course, the wild stripes baby is being induced Sept 19.. guess the needles better start flying!

Monday night I fell asleep with the kids, Tuesday night as well after a late meet the teacher night. Tonight I think I'll stay awake... lots to knit and grades to do!

thrift hit

I hit American Family Services at their Easton store today while in the area doing some errands and came home with 4 sweaters :-)


Christopher Hayes XL men's 100% wool sweater made in Ireland. I love the colors of this sweater although this picture doesn't do them justice. This one cost $1.91!







A brand new men's XL Gap 100% wool in red 4x2 ribbing. It was only $4.94. I offered it to DH but he doesn't do sweaters. So to the frog pond it goes!









Another new sweater, this one is an Eddie Bauer Men's XXL 55 lambswool/45 acrylic. I had to give $2.92 for this one. I'll probably overdye it, although I'm not too sure.










A Woolrich mens XL 100% wool pullover. I'm wondering if this could make great hunting socks. This was the best bargain as I only paid $1.91 for it.





I also got DD a potholder loom kit for less than $4. She's busy making one right now!


Last weekend I stopped at Good will and picked up a couple gems as well. This is a Simpson & Reed men's M 100% virgin wool. It really feels silky. I had to pay $2.92 for this one.









This one is 100% silk and is a men's M manufactured by Tullo. It has a mock turtleneck. I'll need to be very careful frogging this one. It was a bit expensive at $4.99. If it's too thin I may use it to ply with something else.









I also bought this Alfani XXL men's extra fine merino placket sweater. This was expensive at $3.99


I was making real headway on Wild Stripes until I left it at school on Friday.. argh I hate stupid moves like that. So this weekend I'm working on a baby kimono for someone elses baby. Will make a hat and booties to go along with that.

well off to put my baby to bed. He's feeling a bit under the weather and needs some extra loving.

happy wednesday

I missed ten on tuesday by an hour or so.. oh well.

I took another picture of my bottle socks but both filled with their respective bottles. I have to say, I used one today at work and it was fantastic. I set my ice cold drink down on the piano sans worries of leaving water marks AND it kept my drink cold all afternoon (and we don't have AC at school)

One week in, 35 to go.... I have to admit, I'm envious of my friends that are retiring this year. Although I get much more accomplished when I'm working. It forces me to stick to a schedule and I'm much more productive. I picked the winter repertoire tonight for the chorus concert. The theme is snow. I'm going to try to make snowflakes to hang from the gym ceiling. And I'll make a power point of all snow slides... guess it doesn't hurt to start collecting now. Why wait until the last minute?


DD took a piano lesson today. She had a 2 year hiatus, in which time her original teacher moved. She's really showing an interest now though and I don't feel as if we're pushing her but that she wants to do it. She'll be a busy girl this year, which I think will be great for her. Piano, brownies and gymnastics. Maybe it's what we all need in order to keep some sanity in this house.

I CO for a baby kimono tonight in recycled cotton yarn. Then I realized I didn't get enough. I'll have to stop at ACMoore tmrw on the way home to pick up one more skein. What a shame! Guess I should go print out a coupon now!

I finished washing up Shasta tonight and took a small hunk and flicked it. My what a lovely fleece. I wish I had more time to spin and knit, but that's life.

I'm busy picking out my next sock pattern as well. I'm leaning toward Pomatomus, another Cookie A sock. Although I just bought the book 2 at a time socks with a 40% off coupon at Michael's so maybe I'll choose one from the book and try my hand at knitting 2 at a time. (I wish my knitpicks order would get here already!)

I have some sock yarn coming from ebay as well as some purewool (both worsted and sock weight) - remember sockyarn stash doesn't count - so I'm thinking it's gonna be a sock Christmas (mom, don't tell anyone!) Especially if I get this 2 at the same time thing going! I'm also thinking I should be spinning sockweight. This romney cross would probably wear really well!

off work on labor day

is that a oxymoron?

DH and DD went to the first annual Labor Day parade in town. He said it was kind of pathetic and extremely short. DD was happy cuz they threw candy to the kids.

This afternoon we all went to the pool for the last time of the season. About a month ago I 'misplaced' DS2 and my membership cards, so DH was taking the kids usually 2 at a time without me. Today while going through his fanny pack, looking for change for DD for the snack bar, I found our cards. He had insisted that they weren't there, but I could have sworn I had put them there. I had looked all over the house and couldn't find them so I chalked it up to 'the borrowers' Go figure... oh well at least I know I'm not nuts!

After dinner DH and DD went to the grocery store and I set about to do some more chores, like cleaning the kitchen, folding laundry etc. Earlier in the day I was straightening up a corner in the basement so tonight I decided to wash up some fleece. This is a Romney/BFL/BL cross I bought last fall and had only washed about half of it. The total fleece weight is 7 lbs raw. I got it from a semi-local farm where the shepherdess shears the sheep with hand scissors... not hand shears, scissors like we're talking little Fiskars that are the size of embroidery scissors. I MUST go see this sometime. She harness trains them. Anyway, there are NO second cuts and the fleece is really quite clean. Two washes and a rinse and it came out looking like this. I am really happy. Can't wait to spin Shasta! The locks are long and lovely. Reminds me a bit of Fuzzy (my first fleece) but only softer.

I finished the cloth for my exchange partner. I'll pack up the goodies and mail it to her this week! It was a fun knit. I'll post pics in a month on Opening Day.

Back to work tmrw. At least it's a short week!