Tech Support

I called my son with some questions about web design. We call him the WEB DESIGN HOTLINE and he returned my call as TECH SUPPORT. He advised me that "my account" had a negative balance as I had not yet ridden my miles on my bike that day. After much joshing and fun we moved on to the support. He has always been in my corner . Through rotator cuff surgery he was the only one who could jolly me through another set of the very painful exercises. You are gift Shep and I am very glad to be the recipient. Thank you! 11.54 down and on to 100!

First Socks

Here is the current view of my first socks .. soft lovely colors for ME!

Here I Am

My first effort to include some photos..here is hubby and Liebe.

Recumbent Rambling

I did another 2 miles for a total of 8.28 miles. The cold snap has severely affected the arthritis in the knees. That has limited the amount of miles I can do. We all think we have it so hard. My friend is battling lung cancer. Can I do three miles tomorrow? 2 for me and 1 while in prayer for Bon. I admire her so much.
Have I mentioned how I love my socks? I hope to take a picture tonight.
Socks for Christmas all around, Yeah!!!!

DOING THE SOCK DANCE!

Last night I mastered the 5 needle dpn technique. I can knit the square and am dancing up a storm. I love my socks, even the ruffly top. Woo-hoo, the world looks bright!

Trials and Tribulations of SOCKS

1st, I rode 2.02 miles in 17:55 for a total so far of 6.28. My knee is very stiff and it was difficult. Next is the heating pad and the SOCK. Got the ribbing almost done for the second sock and discovered the color change is backwards. I started the first with the yarn from the center of the skein and silly me, stated the second with the yarn from the outer wrap. Megan is an interior designer and knew immediately when she saw them what had happened. Lucky I can laugh at myself! I have always been the person who makes all the mistakes ONCE but once only. I also notice that the ruffle at the start of sock 1, due to the instructors VERY loose cast on, has worn very well on me. I like it. So I have to rip one sock back and I can't decide which one.
I wonder what the world would be like if all the problems were this small!
Knit on!
I've fallen for a Lady Eleanor scarf and am looking for the pattern if anyone is reading!

2 Miles

2 miles today took 16.28 minutes, for a total of 4.26 miles. I read National Geographic while biking. Probably should look for some better literature if I intend to bike longer.
I cast on the 2nd sock of the pair. Some people knit socks on 2 circulars and that seems worth trying. But I'll finish these first.
I want to felt a pair of clogs. Found some daffodils for this March baby on a Sicks Knits website that look cute for decoration.

100 by April 1 report

I plan to do "100 by April 1" and so far have 2.26 miles on my recumbent. It is supposed to be good for the knees and I can use all the good I can get. 1 mile today took 10.28 minutes. That will be a time I hope to reduce.
My son's BOSU (balance trainer) arrived yesterday. It is slightly smaller than hubby's and now I have to decide. The pelvic lifts using the dome are horrendous to do but have great results. I am basically a lazy person and physical exercise as such never appealed. I do love to walk, which is extremely hard currently. But "one, two" routines never did anything for me at least not as much as a good read or some knitting-!! Tee-hee! BUT my physical therapist punctuated her exercises with an exact description of what the exercise does for me. Now my body and my mind are in a battle to see whether exercise wins. It has to at least by April 20.
Hubby just arrived home from his 3 times per week bike ride. Today was 21 miles at 37 degrees with a good wind. They went out with the wind at their back and returned with a quartering tail wind. It could have been worse. At soon to be 75 John loves to ride with the 30 somethings and show the flag for seniors. Sometimes he leaves them wondering just how does he do it. He does not look his age and loves to see them when they find out how old he is. He has great buns and Megan often says she would enter him in a "wet buns" contest if she finds one! Go John!
My sock looks strange due to the "loose" cast on required by my instructor. I am still fumbling with the 5 dpn's and intend to inquire WHY start a beginner on size ones and on 5 dpns. It seems to me that size 4's at least and a 4 needle system would have made a better start. I wish I could convert these. I still love the yarn. They will definitely be anklets as I cannot see myself going very far up my leg in this manner.
As soon as son figures out how to post photos, I will.

ROcky sock start

Have you ever been absolutely sure you can do something, only to find out when you start you are very inept….bungling, uncomprehendingly, all fingers, falling all over yourself! Tonight I had my much-anticipated first class in knitting socks. After knitting for over 41 years, I found I was the least capable in the class, dropping stitches, casting on much too tight, unable to hold 4 needles and knit with a fifth, on and on. IT WAS NOT WHAT I HAD ANTICIPATED!

So switch on the brainpower on, Romelda! Why does the pattern call for 5 needles? Maybe when I reach the heel I will need that many? For now I see no reason so I have moved all stitches to 4 needles and suddenly I am not the clumsiest person in the universe. The triangle is a LOT easier than the square! I’ve done an inch in less than an hour as opposed to 3 rows in 2 days. It’s only 72 stitches for gosh sake!!

I read a blog entry on “Some Knitting Required” concerning her request for sponsors for KNIT MICHIGAN. What a marvelous idea. I am so amazed at the creative efforts to raise money to fight cancer. I’ve lost so many family members, friends, a next-door neighbor, parents of friends, and even 2 dogs to this horrible disease. Jae and her friends have found a way to help and have fun knitting. Impressive! I sent a contribution. You can too!

Dearest hubby bought me a balance dome to celebrate my last day of current physical therapy. It is very helpful in lunges and keeping my core in good balance. My surgery is for April 20th and I will then return to physical therapy. Lots of work to do to be in best shape for my new knee!! With great happiness in my son’s next phone call, I explained his Dad’s unexpected gift. He said I could keep that one or the one he had sent which should arrive the next day. How did I deserve 2 such great guys. I am truly blessed. Now to work. With my biking “100 by April 1” I estimate I will put in at least an hour each day. May be I will track it here so Shep can follow. He has been encouraged, I think by me, and now has a personal trainer. Many years ago his left femur was shattered in a freak accident and he has had a weak muscle structure in that thigh. He was my very best supporter during a rough recovery from rotator cuff surgery so we encourage each other. Not that other family members don’t help, they are VERY supportive. Shep and I just have a very personal understanding of physical trauma and it’s hard recovery.

5 projects at once

I find that I am acquiring knitting projects faster than rabbits reproduce. One project is a Tahki child’s hat that is really adorable. I’ve only done about 12 rows but I love the feel of the cotton and the pattern. I need more colors than are available in the local yarn stores. The yarn is more expensive on the web. WHY? The additional postage is understandable but the price per skein varies from $4.99 locally to $6.50 on the web.

Another project is a scarf I ordered from “knitty” in merino wool called BILBAO. My daughter and I have always wanted to see the Frank Gehry museum at Bilbao so the name appealed to me. The order process was simple (they get 4 stars for that!) and the response time was 3 days. WOW! The color was listed as “tin” and I expected it to be lighter but my daughter loves the color so it’s all right. After all it is grey so I can KAL to Grey’s Anatomy. It has been years since I knitted in fingering yarn but it is good practice to knit on this yarn before Tuesday’s class when I start my sock’s on 1’s, and dpn’s to boot on fingering yarn.

I knit another triangular scarf (see photo) in basically a burgundy color mix but at the end when I unraveled, I unraveled the long edge instead of the triangular one and had to frog the whole thing. So I am starting that again. The chenille and eyelash will never be my favorite thing to knit. Too many strings to get picked up and add stitches but we love the scarves.

Just finished the Yarn Harlot’s “Knitting Rules”. First I started laughing, then reading passages aloud to the non-knitters and then MAGIC happened. I hesitate to call them “tricks” because these are things discovered by making mistakes, correcting them, then admitting them and sharing the results. It recalled to mind the first armhole facing I ever did. I won a sewing machine in October. Newly pregnant, I was going to the Virgin Islands for Christmas. We were living in Norfolk, VA. I did not want to buy winter and summer maternity clothes so I sewed some simple “tanks”. The first facing went in 6 times. By the time I had it perfected I was a facing expert. I can teach anyone!!!

Overboard

I jumped into the swim today with both feet. I have been reading so many blogs and have become so enervated. One of the local knitting stores has a sock class starting Tuesday, so I signed up and bought some lovely yarn. It has to be knitted on size 1 dble oints which has me a little fearful. It has been a long time since I used ones. My children are 39 and 41!!
Then one of the children of a friend fell in love with a hat she saw in a book , "TOO CUTE" by Debby Ware. The patterns are all in Tahki Cotton CLassic and the colors are just yummy. So I bought that yarn and cast on to start. The color changes are a fair isle style?? and I have never done that, so I really have picked up some different challenges. I was strict;y an afghan and scarf knitter until a few days ago.
I am awaiting a knee replacement on April 20, so I also picked up the "100 by Aprril 1" and I will do mine on my recumbent Bicycle. I am recovering from arthroscopic surgery on the same knee (that did not correct the problem) so the exercise will do me good. Can you knit and bikde at the same time???

plethora of knitters

I've been roaming the web for a few days and am amazed at the world-wide range of talents and ideas for knitters. My retirement date is 1 February 2007. I have been looking forward to it and to knitting all day, every day. all yarns, all colors, EVErYTHING.
But I am almost overwhelmed with the choices. I need a knitting group. Perhaps I can find a web ring to join. I have currently finished 2 scarves in chenille and eyelash. It was a cute pattern and I will post a photo to view. Many friends have asked for one and it is so simple I may just supply them with one.

First day

In the true sense of pell-mell, in mingled confusion, I am starting. I have the overwhelming sense, mingled with great glee, of "what the heck have I done".