earthquake day

Well the east had an earthquake today. The first that I've ever experienced. I was at school sorting band music, putting the mess in order that my predecessor left. I was wondering what the custodians were doing that would shake the building... turns out it was an earthquake. Whodathunk??

I made Betz White's cashmere bunny for two baby gifts. Paired it with a copy of the Velveteen Rabbit. One couple are both colleagues from work. The other mom was a student of mine for my first years of teaching.


DD needed a few more things tonight for school and I noticed a sale at Staples. We got a boatload of stuff: 6 one subject notebooks, 5 retractable bic pens, 12 dixon ticonderoga pencils, a package of 6 mechanical pencils, 2 reams of copy paper, an 8MB thumb drive, a clear 18" ruler (for me), 20 pencil top erasers, 2 sharpie markers, 100 sheets of notebook paper... between the $5 off coupon, and our staples rewards and the sale. I spent $1.53 and we put in for $11 in rebates... ROCK on thrifiness :-)

My Phillies won tonight and the Little League team from PA won too!

Peanut butter cookies surrounding Reese's peanut butter cups baked after dinner.

Great day!

Happy Labor Day

7 days of classes in and I'm still alive... working hard on listening to the music choices of my students' listening logs....so I'm laboring in a way on Labor Day.

Meet the Teacher Thursday night.... I got to speak about band and chorus... and plug my webpage for my students.

Friday I had off... we took the kids out of school early and went to Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos... It was fun... we had a kid cabin suite. I don't know who liked it more DH or the kids!

Sunday was a picnic at friends.

I've worked on the möbius purse and have now finished the strap... that's a lot of stitches!

Today was just working on school stuff... quiet, boring but oh so necessary.

Tmrw is Mom's 90th birthday.... I'll give her a shout out now HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM... but I'll try ot post a picture of her tmrw.

what have i been doing?

well mostly getting ready for school. The month of August has FLOWN by. My SIL left at the beginning of the month. It took a couple of days to recuperate from all the running. We're not so used to late nights and then being out all the next day and we (and the kids) were tired... so we spent a couple of days just getting our legs back, so to speak.

That next weekend first a little rest and relaxation and renewal with two of my best friends from college... it was WONDERFUL. We picked up just where we left off over 20 years ago. I can't say how good that was for my soul. Now we're staying in touch with facebook, although I may drop them a text message now and again, just to haunt them!

Then I got home and one of my dear friends and colleagues passed away from cancer. It was a shock to all of us. It was merely one month from diagnosis to death. I spent that week in a fog. I still can't believe she's gone.

The rest of the time was spent in full steam preparation for the kids and myself for school... uniforms - check, school supplies - check, open house at the kids school- check, meeting the new teachers- check, get my classroom in shape - check (or thereabouts) lesson plans - ongoing check (which is why I've been awol.... it's a long story that I'm not ready to complain about now, because there is no time to do so)

I was really leary about this year and was in my principals office my first day weeping a bit. Of course some of that could have been because my baby went to kindergarten that day and I didn't even get to say goodbye because I have to leave before the kids are awake.
But then last Tuesday as I was driving to school I saw this:

I took it as a sign that things would be OK this year....And for the first inservice day I knit the wallet in the Cat Bordhi book A Second Treasury of Magical Knitting. So I learned the invisible cast on and can now use that to knit toe up socks!

The baby still doesn't want to be at school although I picked him up after his first day and he was all smiles... but he doesn't like the fact that he's learning Mandarin Chinese. Well we're all doing things we'd prefer not, and we have to do them the best that we can. I remind him of that daily.

My first 3 days with students was fine... I hope it continues that way. I know it's the honeymoon, but......
The schedule is nuts. I meet with each class for about 90-100 minutes for 30 consecutive days, then don't see them the rest of the year. So I need to cram a lot of stuff into a small time. I'm still waiting on the recorders to be delivered. I have some really fun plans with those!

The kids and I visited mom today with the sheer intent of finding her hearing aid. It's been lost for a month. THere was an angel on my shoulder because I found it after about 4 minutes of searching. SO Mom left for church and we stayed and I cleaned out a little more... could you find everything mom? I tried not to put too many things in new places. Cleaned the cat litter since she can't. Today I also started the winter sling bag from the same aforementioned Bordhi book, on the way home while DH drove. I want to put the wallet in the bag so I'll be felting them at the same time. That möbius strip takes forever to knit! I'm hoping the end result rocks.

OK that's it for now... I'm beat and have to pack my lunch and finish some school work and be out of the house by 6:15 tmrw...

well it's official

i've been moved to the junior high...
i'm speechless
i got a letter in the mail. no phone call to let me know. DH read it to me as i prepared the potato salad.

i have my summer work planned for me...............



DS birthday is today. We had about 24 people over for a party.

nature's lace

The blocks on LR are together.. now to seam the columns and learn to crochet!

Clapotis is coming along nicely. Although I was knitting last night while watching a streaming school board meeting on the internet (a 4 hour very heated meeting) and forgot to drop in the repeat... went on another 14 rows before I noticed... so in went the lifeline and back I ripped... it's ok... no worries, it's summer!

The kids started swim lessons yesterday. So I get some sun while they swim.

This morning I walked 4 miles with a buddy. We left at 6AM... felt great. Gonna make it a daily activity. That's the time I can escape the house without anyone caring.

Tonight, my own district's board meeting (as in employer). Hot topic...uniforms. I could care either way but some folks have some very strong opinions against it. Personally, I think if they can't enforce the guidelines they have now, they're mistaken that a uniform code will make a difference... those who want to dress inappropriately will find a way no matter what....

summer, ah!

We're all off from school now. Swim lessons start tmrw. Kids finished Friday. I was done Tuesday. I'm forgetting all about the place. I still have no clue where I'll be come Aug 24 so I really am not going to waste any of my summer planning... phhhhhhhhhhhbbbbbbt!






I've been spinning up a storm... did some sheep and cheingora, reclaiming wool from sweaters, knitting and trying to finish off a project or two. This is the latest accomplishment. All the lizard ridge squares are now blocked and I've begun to sew them into strips.. I hope to have the blanket assembled by next week, so I can work on the border. If it's complete in time, I *may* enter it in the Allentown fair... we'll see.

I've started a clapotis for an unnamed recipient.

And we had guests for dinner last night. I made this yummo Rachel Ray recipe with lemon pesto on penne with asparagus, zuchinni and french green beans. Very fresh and summery. Finished the meal with homemade tiramisu. There were other yummies to munch on as well, but you get the drift! I sent the lady of the evening home with my cloth experiment:


Yarn: Elmore Pisgah cotton
Color: Potpourri
Pattern: my own unvention
Needle: US7
Recipient: Boksans

Here's the pattern as I remember:
CO 45
K 1 row
k2, [knit 3 pass first knit stitch over other 2, YO] repeat to last stitch K1
purl
k1 [knit 3 pass first knit stitch over other 2, YO] repeat to last stitch K2
purl
bind off when length desired is reached.
Not terribly exciting
Use it if you'd like for whatever but please don't call it your own. You can link back here although I'm sure I didn't make up the stitch myself... It's unvented

phillies

11 years have made DH and I think too much alike. This morning, i was gifted for our wedding anniversary with a Phillies cap and sweatshirt, Polanco t-shirt and tickets for us for tonights game!

Part of his gift, a Phillies hat and t-shirt... I contemplated tickets for tonights game, but didn't have the time to get it all together with a sitter....

What a guy!

My last concert for school was last night... 3 concerts in 9 days... WHEW.. I'm so glad it's over even though they're fun while they're happening... it's a TON of preparation work that has nothing to do with music. The music preparation is enough in and of itself.

Now to finish out the year... and wouldn't it be nice if I knew what was happening with me and work next year???

maybe I can resume knitting now!

still alive

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth.... just chillin'

I frogged a lovely lambswool/cashmere blend sweater hoping to make the every way wrap from IK fall 2009 issue... but I'm about 70 yards shy.... c'est la vie!

I've started a sweater for DD's American Girl Doll for her birthday. One sleeve is complete. I had started earlier in the week but ripped it out deciding to knit it in the round instead. Now to figure out how to address the body of the sweater in the round....

I've been working on a webpage for my students. Perhaps you'd like to visit it. It's hardly finished, but i have some recording to do... I only hope they use it!

well off to knit a bit and then hit the bed.... So strange that Virginia and North Carolina have been hammered by snow and we haven't seen a flake! oh well.....

field day

for the kids at school today. Didn't take the camera so there are no pics.

However, one of my colleagues from school sent me this picture of myself and my partner in crime in music from our Earth Day concert (the one which was rained out of the park)
We dyed the dresses together... The kids had tie dyed shirts which we then painted the planet earth on the front. The blue first from a circle stencil and the green land done by making a stamp they could put paint on and place on the earth. They really came out great I think.

a short one today... a little tmrw and then a surprise!

happy JUNE

where has the time gone?????

I've been busy knitting on the way afghan... although apparently not busy enough because the wedding is this weekend and the afghan isn't even half finished. I'll soon post poicuters of some of the squares.

this weekend was the Moravian alum reunion. I got to see many old choir friends... and sing with our director, which is always an extreme pleasure. I absolutely adore Dick Schantz and he and Monica kept us in stitches as usual. I stoped at my old sorority house and reminisced with some of the sisters about the bygone days.

I must have picked up a bug at school becuase the rest of the weekend I was feeling rather poorly... fever... headache the whole nine yards. I'm still not myself. But the good news is tmrw is my last day of teaching. I really need a break.

And I'm off to South American for a bit. I'll try to post pictures to keep you up to date mom. I want to hit up some thrift shops before I go though to grab what could be the last of the wool for the year until the fall sets in ..
right now I'm frogging what I think to be alpaca. It appears to be handknit and extremely well made.. no tags... my guess is alpaca it's strange though the outside is fuzzier than the inside.. although when frogged it doesn't seem that the yarn is strange at all... such a pretty color. would make a lovely shawl... This one I may be keeping for myslef (or something for a gift... )


i'm going to attempt NaBloPoMo this month as a way to journal the trip. Wish me luck....

DD and i were out to buy paper for me to make my awards for school. We found some cute things for their teachers for end of year gifts.I have to get the daycare people something this week as well... it's all coming fast and furious to a gigantic halt.

OK.. signing off for now.. pictures to come!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Yesterday 12 students came for PSSA knitting activity. 2 had knit with me last year. One I started to teach to purl but today she fell back into knitting (she had left her original at home). It's a great group of kids... they learned to use a knit cast on yesterday which took a long time for them to put on 28 stitches... and today they started to take off. We had 90 minutes to knit and I'm so proud of them!

on a more serious note, the board meeting is tonight. I wish I could be there, but it's time to put own children before my school children.

one of the subs at school brought in 2 sweaters for me. One is Peruvian colorwork and so beautiful... I hate to frog it... but I know this wool doesn't felt well (I've tried with a different sweater) the other is a bulky aran knit with really neat buttons that remind me of coconut shell.... I'll frog that one. It seems to be hand knit... what a shame, someone obviously spent a long time knitting it.....

Didn't do 10 on tuesday today cuz I didn't have the energy to find 10 songs I hated.

here's to a happy tmrw!

not whining

but I'm worn out... school has done that to me. The drama and stupidity of the board of education and administrators not really thinking about the ramifications of decisions they are choosing to make and how those decisions will affect lives, in so many varied ways makes me sad, frustrated and yes feel physically ill.

tomorrow PSSAs begin and with that a new crop of knitters. I have some returnees who will be learning to purl so that we can add some variety to our blankets. We'll donate to Linus Project again this year... it's nice for kids to be making things for other kids.

My colleague sent me a copy of an excerpt from a welcome address given to parents of incoming students at The Boston Conservatory on September 1, 2004, by Dr. Karl Paulnack, Director of the Music Division. And rather print it here, you can click here if you care to read it. It is truly deep, inspirational and moving. Dr. Paulnack graduated from William Allen High School, in Allentown PA, not far from my home. Many of my friends went to school with him. This address doesn't just speak to music, it's really insightful to life... thanks Tommy for the mail.

On another knitterly note, I have 2 squares for the Way blanket finished. I'll use these patterns for my new purlers as well. I've been so consumed with the department news that I am afraid my knitting class will suffer...

i leave you with heavy heart.. perhaps I'll have pictures later in the week to post. I'll remember the camera to take pictures of my cherubs knitting.

I also have a tutorial to post about making your own knitting needles.
so much to do and so little time/energy right now.

peace friends...

short and sweet

and prepping for the PSSAs: knitting needles to sand and patterns to prepare for my cherubs.. teaching the experienced to purl this year.. so they can then follow a pattern.

Chorus: still finishing writing out the parts and need to record some vocal tracts.... too much work far little time, and plan the stuff for the t-shirts.. there will be pictures of them. Hopefully they'll look awesome

School: have these monster amount of papers to grade for 6th grade and the end of the marking period is here... that mans hand out 750 grades... bleh!
personnel is a huge mess and our department is falling apart... ugh!

knitting: started a wedding present from the Walker learn to knit afghan book but this will be all one color, socks OTN for me, DH's vest needs the math to be done for the armhole decreases

diet: about 8.5 pounds and holding... haven't measured the waist lately but it was at 4" The lack of sleep definitely is bad for the diet...... makes me hungry

I've found some great pages lately, that I'll post links to in the sidebar... really wonderful crafty fun blogs!

prayers answered

thank you saint anthony for prayers answered. DH's vest (well if you can call it that) is found. Last night I sat down in my chair to do something else, I think I was putting away my options needles that had been out for other projects and looked to the left and there it was staring up at me. It had NOT been there before. So there you have it!

I have another Lizard Ridge block done. Here are the two that are completed

Noro kureyon color 175C

Noro kureyon color 149F

I need to find the ball band of the one OTN now but I think it's color 194.

I have pictures from my Chorus concert. I didn't take them, so they aren't as good as I'd like, but it's better than nothing. The fat blob in the red skirt is me. Hopefully I'll be thinner by the spring concert. We all have on scarves because the concert was about snow. We don't have an auditorium in my school, so we have to use the gym for all our programs... kind of stinks. But DH built the big white screen and I do a power point to go along with all the stuff so that there is some kind of scenery. This year I hung up snowflakes the kids made from the ceiling. at different heights. Just to add a touch of something. The shredded paper is supposed to be like snow. In the last song the kids sing about going outside and throwing a bunch of snow... so at the very end they all threw white yarn pompom balls into the audience. It was kind of fun.

I have a long weekend since I took a trade day from the summer. So does the rest of the family. I hope I get to do something fun for me... I'm feeling the urge to go thrifting really badly. Not that I need anything, just for the hunt!

Tomorrow we go behind the scenes at the Phila. zoo.... just hope we don't freeze!

3 down 197 to go

I made my SIL these 6 cloths. I intended them for dishes but she says she won't use them for that cuz they're too pretty... crazy girl. I used the 365 knitting stitches a year perpetual calender for all of them and lily's sugar 'n cream cotton in white (her preferred house color)

Jan 28 - fagotted lace panel CO 43


Feb 9 - feather and fan CO 4O


Mar 4 - crossed stockinette CO 42


Nov 6 - star CO 43


Dec 25 - rice CO 43


Dec 31 - bamboo CO 41


Yarn: Lily Sugar 'n Cream
Color: white
Needle: US6


No school today because of ice. This is good because it changes the day that Tuesday is next week. Don't ask, it will make no sense... but trust me. I was happy! I could go for a late start tmrw. I'm really not feeling the love there. I feel overworked and underappreciated. But a short week now this week. Next week is my birthday and the concert and then the following week is short because of MLK day and the fact that I took a class this summer for a trade day.

My neighbor is driving me nuts of late. He plays loud music very late. It's almost midnight and I hear wild drumming through the wall (we live in half a double) I'm wondering if he has rockband for PSP or Wii.

I've been pretty good about working out on Wii... missed today though because everyone was home and I couldn't get on. Now DS2 is sleeping in front of the TV so I hate to move him and wake him up and I can't work out there.

Natalie and I got together and worked on the stuff for the spring concert. Earth Day in the park with all environmentally consious songs. I'm excited for it, but want to get the winter concert over with first. I made her a CD of our concert together from last year. I think she was really happy!

K off to do some lunch packing and get prepared for the am... blech. I love my job when I'm with the kids, it's the other adults I can't stand!

helping the economy

this week.

At ACMoore I bought lavender in organza bags for 1.75 each. I bought a bunch! I think 16 bags. For now, they're in the dressers and bags of wool. There's enough of that around my house.

Yesterday, DS2 went with me Joann's (he had no choice) I got polar fleece remnants were 1/2 price for 50% off that price. I have big plans for it! I also got clear glass ornaments to make gifts for next year over vacation with the kids. I may have to go back for more.... they were 50% off... hoping for a deeper mark-down yet.

Old Navy had some great sales.... their polar blankets for $3 each. Crazy I tell you. DH is getting a pair of sweat pants too... Black.. he'll like them I hope.


Today was opening day for my Love2Knit dishcloth exchange (I think it was today... I opened mine this morning) Thank you Amanda so much. I love my goodies. I'll post a picture tomorrow with my other gift (and my school goodies.. well what I haven't eaten of them!)

This is what I sent my partner:

There are 2 tea towels: one plain red and one white with a peppermint candy applique and red and white trim. Her kitchen is red and white.
I also made a candy cane illusion cloth, I included a medium wreath that I made from felted green sweaters, some pig stickers and two magnets I made from little wooden decorations: a starfish and a frog and a skein of green and white kitchen cotton. I hope you enjoy it Connie!

The annual sing went pretty well yesterday. Of course it was the only holiday concert in the district that the new superintendent didn't make. I specifically invited her so I'm a bit plussed. I made one major boo boo though.... forgot to upload the flutophone accompaniment on my iPod, so I played for them which was not as nearly as cool as the whole funk stuff. We sang for an hour... with a powerpoint presentation of 95 slides. Chorus did four of their songs from the winter concert that will now be in January (the day after my birthday) and were great. I really love those kids.

Started mom's knitted gift while wrapping the rest of the family's gifts. I'll post the pictures of theirs after they are gifted.

Have a blessed evening and merry Christmas until tmrw.

snow

It snowed last night that cancelled my chorus concert. Well I should say postponed... until Jan 13, which means I'll have the entire holiday to obsess about it. Two hour delay this morning and a very hectic day at school for me.

We had a sitter lined up, so DH and I went shopping... you know for the kids and one of our secret santas. Some Thomas the tank purchases, Ben10 and Prince Caspian for Blu-Ray. I hate to admit it but we shopped at Walmart and got some really fantastic prices.

I also purchased DD's AG doll. That in itself is a long story that I just don't want to blog about... but hopefully it will be here in time to put under the tree. The guitar arrived today and I surreptitiously snuck it upstairs and put it under our bed. I'll open it tonight after everyone is asleep (hopefully DH will be awake!) I'm wondering if we'll need to get strings for it. Picks are a definite stocking stuffer.

Tomorrow DD has her brownie Christmas party and we all take goodies. A colleague at school told me a super easy thing to make. I feel like a cheater, but in the sake of time (or lack thereof) it's a go.
Ingredients:
Slice and bake peanut butter cookies
Mini Reese's peanut butter cups, unwrapped
Preheat oven to 350° F

Take a spoonful of cookie dough
Roll dough into a ball
Place balls in nut tasse pan
Bake for about 9 minutes
Remove from oven and push unwrapped mini reese's cup into cookie.
Let cool
Remove cookies from pan

Enjoy!

day out with the mayor

I was going to put in a wordless Wednesday post, but....

I mentioned that the Friday before Thanksgiving DD and her class went to decorate a Christmas tree downtown in the center city plaza?

Well I was incorrect about which tree they decorated. There is one HUGE tree at the front of the Plaza just behind the life sized creche, but the one they decorated is a smaller tree closer to the bridge side with red white and blue lights. At any rate,
here are a couple of pictures from their day downtown and lunch with the mayor.DD had a blast. Photo credits go to DH





This is the tree with decorations. The classes made them at school with a metal can lid with markers, 3D paint and regular paint.




















Here are some of the kids with Mayor Callahan










the whole shebang in front of the tree

It will take me the whole month to catch up just from my measly November postings I think. Tomorrow some hints of what we did over the weekend.

and this is what there is

This lovely orchid was from the parent's of one of DH's students. The student was giving a recital and his high school music teacher brought corsages for the important women in his life. (Her husband grows them... incredible I know) At any rate I was supposed to go, but DS2 came down with a fever, so I stayed home but was still gifted with this gorgeous flower.

We had our department meeting yesterday. I'm still waiting to see what comes of it. Lots of time and work over the weekend to get ready for it. I think it went OK, but we'll see if the little man keeps his job or if that wasn't the purpose. I like the new super though. My impression of her felt good!

On the home front...tonight we finished the wreath we started on Sunday. That included dyeing three sweaters to make it. It's the bottom one.

Combined with the other two it almost is reminiscent of Mickey Mouse.





It all started out like this. Quite the mess I know, but I think the result is really cool. I'm envisioning a bunch of these as teacher gifts!















Now the pictures are pretty heavy. Just so you have an idea of how much I've been deconstructing.


60% lambswool, 20% angora rabbit and 20% nylon


100% cashmere


100% cashmere


85% silk and 15% cashmere


85% silk and 15% cashmere


70% lambswool, 20% angora rabbit and 10% nylon


48% wool, 22% viscose, 16% nylon, 9% angora rabbit, 5% cashmere


75% merino and 25% angora rabbit


All of these with the exception of one were long sleeved women's sweaters so they've yielded quite a bit of yardage :-) Guess I better get busy knitting now!

opening day

I waited and waited for today so that I could open my package from my exchange partner Sue. Here's what she sent!

TWO dishcloths (candy corn illusion and a jack-o-lantern), black and orange stitch markers (yay!) and candy corn. Thank you so much Sue. I hope you enjoyed your package

This is what I sent:


The cloth alone:

Pattern: Skully by BlackRayne
Yarn: Peaches and Cream
Color: Beige(?)
Needle: US6

I took another picture of the front porch spider but this time from the underside. It looks just like the spider hanging outside the boys room from underneath. I'll probably never see the top side of the upper room spider.

The carpet came for my room in the new school. The librarian took it before I got there. The secretary fixed it all up though :-) Gotta love that girl. So tmrw I should have a nice carpet for my kiddos to sit on. YAY!