Friday, December 3, 2010
The Bane Of My Existence And The Opposite
The Bane Of My existence
1. Bras are the bane of my existence along with socks. I think that they are the worst torture devices meant to drive the well endowed woman nearly to distraction.... (I'm really quite bohemian actually and would love to sit around in flowing outfits with no bra or sox.... I should have been Greek or Roman... togas seem a great fashion option to me)!
2. Fund raisers that call you on short notice for things that you can donate to a fundraiser... in this case to the friend who a few weeks ago had a savage car accident and became a paraplegic in the blink of an eye.... I'm donating a skein of yarn, a pair of Glomitts (yes those), a scarf, and a necklace. Now I'm back to square one with Christmas gifts. (Maybe I should just go and bid on the silent auction and buy them back...)
3. Cell phones that have decided to die (not just the battery)... Teapot will take it to the Telus people on Tuesday and see if it can be fixed which leaves me connectionless for several days.... (so email me if you need me!)
4. Christmas, Christmas, Christmas.... (I can't say enough about how I wish I could just skip it.) Though I'm feeling better about it this year than I have for a long time.... I think it is the house renovations making the difference.
5. Sheep that have mites.... (I forgot their fall shots.... argh!)
6. Not enough time for all the stuff needing to be done. (MB will you please hurry up and figure out how to extend the day so that we can get all our stuff done and still be able to sleep.... just bend time with Quantum physics or something will you?)
7. Ice.... pops fell down because of ice at the grocery store by the recycling bins yesterday afternoon and really hurt himself badly...no broken bones but bad scrapes and bruises and cuts... it took several people to help him up off the ground and he was bleeding all over the place... which is not good for a diabetic on blood thinners... I'm a little worried about him. At least he was able to drive himself home.
The Opposite
1. Contractors who do little extras that make life easier.... I wish all men had the knack to build like beavers, and fix doors... and put shelves up.
2. Online shopping.... online paying bills... online email so that when your phone dies you can stay connected a little.
3. Daughters who pick up your spirits by making you laugh with their not-wanting-to-get-pictures-taken antics.
4. Sunny days!
5. Easy flooring.... I put the flooring down in the bathroom yesterday... it looks great.
6. Contractors who take it upon them to put your old spinning wheel back together.
7. Contractors.... period! (sometimes I think about Murphy Brown and think that maybe I should just ask the Contractor to move in with us..... hmmmm! I'm not sure his wife would like that since I'm sure she keeps him working for her too.)
8. Knitting needles... well they sure make knitting easy ; )
It's always good that there are more of the "opposite" than there are of "the bane of my existence"... but still.... I do hate bras!
1. Bras are the bane of my existence along with socks. I think that they are the worst torture devices meant to drive the well endowed woman nearly to distraction.... (I'm really quite bohemian actually and would love to sit around in flowing outfits with no bra or sox.... I should have been Greek or Roman... togas seem a great fashion option to me)!
2. Fund raisers that call you on short notice for things that you can donate to a fundraiser... in this case to the friend who a few weeks ago had a savage car accident and became a paraplegic in the blink of an eye.... I'm donating a skein of yarn, a pair of Glomitts (yes those), a scarf, and a necklace. Now I'm back to square one with Christmas gifts. (Maybe I should just go and bid on the silent auction and buy them back...)
3. Cell phones that have decided to die (not just the battery)... Teapot will take it to the Telus people on Tuesday and see if it can be fixed which leaves me connectionless for several days.... (so email me if you need me!)
4. Christmas, Christmas, Christmas.... (I can't say enough about how I wish I could just skip it.) Though I'm feeling better about it this year than I have for a long time.... I think it is the house renovations making the difference.
5. Sheep that have mites.... (I forgot their fall shots.... argh!)
6. Not enough time for all the stuff needing to be done. (MB will you please hurry up and figure out how to extend the day so that we can get all our stuff done and still be able to sleep.... just bend time with Quantum physics or something will you?)
7. Ice.... pops fell down because of ice at the grocery store by the recycling bins yesterday afternoon and really hurt himself badly...no broken bones but bad scrapes and bruises and cuts... it took several people to help him up off the ground and he was bleeding all over the place... which is not good for a diabetic on blood thinners... I'm a little worried about him. At least he was able to drive himself home.
The Opposite
1. Contractors who do little extras that make life easier.... I wish all men had the knack to build like beavers, and fix doors... and put shelves up.
2. Online shopping.... online paying bills... online email so that when your phone dies you can stay connected a little.
3. Daughters who pick up your spirits by making you laugh with their not-wanting-to-get-pictures-taken antics.
4. Sunny days!
5. Easy flooring.... I put the flooring down in the bathroom yesterday... it looks great.
6. Contractors who take it upon them to put your old spinning wheel back together.
7. Contractors.... period! (sometimes I think about Murphy Brown and think that maybe I should just ask the Contractor to move in with us..... hmmmm! I'm not sure his wife would like that since I'm sure she keeps him working for her too.)
8. Knitting needles... well they sure make knitting easy ; )
It's always good that there are more of the "opposite" than there are of "the bane of my existence"... but still.... I do hate bras!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Photo Shoot
So this year we forgot picture day at the school and the girls had their school picture taken looking like sh-t. We didn't purchase the pictures so when retake day rolled around we were prepared... so we thought.... those didn't please us either. So time has been ticking away and now it is time to start getting parcels in the mail and nobody has wanted to do a home photo shoot. Today I got serious and demanded that we do a photo shoot since it was sunny and they came home early enough to catch the light.
Yeah! I should have known that unless the Daughters are into it that we might as well forget it.
Finally after all that and some good laughs and some threats of peeing in our pants... we got this which is not great but better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick...
Maybe we'll try again tomorrow....
Yeah! I should have known that unless the Daughters are into it that we might as well forget it.
 | |
| I should have known that this was an indication that it wasn't going to go well. |
 | |
| No one would get with it.... and when they finally did I got..... well.. have a look for yourselves! |
Maybe we'll try again tomorrow....
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Remember This?
Remember this?....
and this?....
and this?....
and this?.....
Well now it looks like this....
and this.....
and this....
It sure feels good to get this stuff done..... it's the best Christmas gift ever!
He's coming back on Saturday to do the sunroom..... I just can't wait.
 | |
| look at the top of the picture.... |
 |
| That's a little shelf above the door.... cute eh? |
He's coming back on Saturday to do the sunroom..... I just can't wait.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Bullying (cont.)
???????
The principal has been away from school for the last few days. But there have been changes.
Daughter #2 missed school on Friday. She did not want to spend 3 hours on a bus heading for a Volleyball tournament with the boys and classmates who are spreading this rumour of her being a lesbian. So Teapot and I felt it was alright to stay home. That was the day that the Principal was notified of the situation.... the day that I wrote about this whole affair here.
Ok so I'm kind of on weird ground here. Since that time Daughter #2 has gone to a local fundraiser to help with the setting up and organization of the event. During that event one of the bullies came up to her and as sweet as anything asked her how she was! (I think the Gods of mahem are upon us!) I asked Daughter #2 what she said and she said that all she did was shake her head in dismay and walk away....
??????!
Over the weekend Daughter #2 has been thinking very hard about what happened on the bus and at one point I thought she was going to go through with the plan to confront the two boys in question, but Sunday came and at bedtime I asked her what her decision was and she said that she didn't want to do it. I can understand why.
Monday came and there were no incidents or problems though she did not take the bus home but instead got a ride with her father.
Today weirder still the same boy that approached her at the fundraiser on Friday night quite nicely as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, offered her an ice cream at lunch time when he was offering one to a couple of other kids in the lunch room....
?????!
We are all in shock. Daughter #2 most of all I think. It's like a miracle happened but then at the same time we are having trouble with the idea that this kid might have changed his mind about how he's been treating Daughter #2... and waiting for the hurricane to hit. I cannot believe that he is regretting his nasty tongue. Perhaps he is freaked that he might get in serious trouble this time... perhaps his mother and father won't give him that new laptop if he sets one foot out of line again..... and then I'm feeling guilty for thinking so ill of the little shit. I'm all confused and if I am then what the heck is Daughter #2 feeling?
Egad!
The principal has been away from school for the last few days. But there have been changes.
Daughter #2 missed school on Friday. She did not want to spend 3 hours on a bus heading for a Volleyball tournament with the boys and classmates who are spreading this rumour of her being a lesbian. So Teapot and I felt it was alright to stay home. That was the day that the Principal was notified of the situation.... the day that I wrote about this whole affair here.
Ok so I'm kind of on weird ground here. Since that time Daughter #2 has gone to a local fundraiser to help with the setting up and organization of the event. During that event one of the bullies came up to her and as sweet as anything asked her how she was! (I think the Gods of mahem are upon us!) I asked Daughter #2 what she said and she said that all she did was shake her head in dismay and walk away....
??????!
Over the weekend Daughter #2 has been thinking very hard about what happened on the bus and at one point I thought she was going to go through with the plan to confront the two boys in question, but Sunday came and at bedtime I asked her what her decision was and she said that she didn't want to do it. I can understand why.
Monday came and there were no incidents or problems though she did not take the bus home but instead got a ride with her father.
Today weirder still the same boy that approached her at the fundraiser on Friday night quite nicely as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, offered her an ice cream at lunch time when he was offering one to a couple of other kids in the lunch room....
?????!
We are all in shock. Daughter #2 most of all I think. It's like a miracle happened but then at the same time we are having trouble with the idea that this kid might have changed his mind about how he's been treating Daughter #2... and waiting for the hurricane to hit. I cannot believe that he is regretting his nasty tongue. Perhaps he is freaked that he might get in serious trouble this time... perhaps his mother and father won't give him that new laptop if he sets one foot out of line again..... and then I'm feeling guilty for thinking so ill of the little shit. I'm all confused and if I am then what the heck is Daughter #2 feeling?
Egad!
Busy Busy Busy With A New Knitting Pattern
With Christmas right around the corner I am hard at it. I have decided that a package going back east should contain some mittens and then I decided not just mittens but Glomitts which are a hybrid mitten and glove combined. They are also called shooting mittens because a lot of the soldiers in Afghanistan really like to use them on cold nights. So I went looking for a pattern and there was nary a pattern to be found. The internet had one solitary Glomitt pattern that is put out be Halcyon Yarns and it was not at all what I was looking for so I decided to come up with my own. The pattern that I came up with are for two needles and not DPNs. I have been knitting steady for three days and am just about finished them after having to figure things out as I go and raveling back a little, a few times to make them bigger or smaller as needs be. All that is left to do on one is sew on the flap and on the other I need to sew the side seam and knit the thumb and sew on the flap... so they should be finished today. I will post a picture when they are done.
In the meantime, I will post the pattern here for anyone who would like to knit a pair.... and they are better than Halcyon's!
Mens Glomitts
Using 4mm knitting needles cast on 50 stitches.
Row 1: *K 3, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 2: Knit on knit stitches and purl on purl stitches.
Row 3: same as Row 1.
Row 4: same as Row 2.
Row 5: *Knit 3 and pass the first of the 3 over the other 2, P 2, repeat from * to end.
Row 6: * Knit 2, P1 increasing F and B, P1, repeat from * to end of row.
Continue on knitting rows 3 through 6 until you have completed 8 patterns.
Increase for the width of the hand in this way.
Knit rows 3 through 5.
Next Row: *K1 increasing F and B, K 1, P 1 increasing F and B, P1, repeat from * to end. 60 stitches.
Continue knitting the following rows until 4 more patterns have been completed.
Row 1: *K3, P3, repeat from * to end.
Row 2: Knit on knit stitches and purl on purl stitches.
Row 3: *K3 and pass the first of the 3 over the other 2, P3, repeat from * to end.
Row 4: *K3, P1 increasing F and B, P1, repeat from * to end.
Making the thumb hole: for the left hand glove.
Row 1: K3, (P3, K3) 3 times, K1.Then, knit the next 6 stitches in pattern with your contrasting scrap yarn. Drop contrasting scrap yarn so that both ends of it are hanging to the outside of the Glomitt (this makes it easier to remove the yarn later). Slide these 6 stitches off of the right needle back onto the left. Pick up your working yarn, and continue knitting Glomitt in the main pattern. This means you’ll knit the six stitches knit with the scrap yarn on your left needle again. Continue to the end of the row maintaining the pattern. Just keep knitting in the main pattern like nothing ever happened until 17 patterns have been repeated from the original cast on.
Cast off.
Making the thumb hole: for the right hand glove:
Row 1: (K3, P3,) 4 times, K2. Then, knit the next 6 stitches in pattern with your contrasting scrap yarn. Drop contrasting scrap yarn so that both ends of it are hanging to the outside of the Glomitt (this makes it easier to remove the yarn later). Slide these 6 stitches off of the right needle back onto the left. Pick up your working yarn, and continue knitting Glomitt in the main pattern. This means you’ll knit the six stitches knit with the scrap yarn on your left needle again. Continue to the end of the row maintaining the pattern. Just keep knitting in the main pattern like nothing ever happened until 17 patterns have been repeated from the original cast on.
Knit the thumb by removing the scrap piece of yarn and picking up 6 bottom stitches and 3 stitches in the side, 6 more across the top, and 3 more down the other side. There should be 18 stitches in all, divided over three sive 3 mm DPNs evenly. Knit thumb in stockinette stitch to length desired decreasing in this manner for the top of the thumb:
Next Row: *K2 tog, K1, repeat from * to end. 4 stitches per needle.
Next Row: Knit
Next Row: *K1, K2 tog, K1 repeat from * to end. 3 stitches per needle.
Break yarn and thread a darning needle, then pull the thread through all remaining stitches and draw tight, ending with a sewing stitch to hold the top of the thumb together. Darn in the tail of the thread.
Flap for the Glomitt:
Cast on 60 stitches with 4 mm needles.
Row 1: *K3, P3, repeat from * to end.
Row 2: Knit on knit stitches and purl on purl stitches.
Row 3: same as Row 1.
Row 4: same as Row 2.
Row 5: *K3 and pass the first of the 3 over the other 2, P3, repeat from * to end.
Row 6: *K3, P1 increasing F and B, P1, repeat from * to end.
Continue in pattern until 2 patterns have been completed.
Follow the first five rows of the pattern then:
Change to 3.25 mm needles and continue in stockinette stitch for 6 rows. Mark the middle of the row with a stitch marker.
Next Row: *K2, sl 1, K1, psso, knit to the last 4 stitches before the stitch marker*, K2 tog, K2. Pass the stitch marker from the left needle to the right and continue from * to * K2 tog, K2.
Continue in stockinette stitch for 2 rows.
Next Row: *K2, sl 1, K1, psso, knit to the last 4 stitches before the stitch marker*, K2 tog, K2. Pass the stitch marker from the left needle to the right and continue from * to * K2 tog, K2.
Continue in stockinette stitch for 2 rows.
Next Row: *K2, sl 1, K1, psso, knit to the last 4 stitches before the stitch marker*, K2 tog, K2. Pass the stitch marker from the left needle to the right and continue from * to * K2 tog, K2.
Continue in stockinette stitch for 1 row.
Next Row: *K2, sl 1, K1, psso, knit to the last 4 stitches before the stitch marker*, K2 tog, K2. Pass the stitch marker from the left needle to the right and continue from * to * K2 tog, K2.
Continue decreasing in this manner until 12 stitches are left. 6 before the marker and 6 after the marker.
To Cast off:
Slip first 6 stitches onto an extra size 3.25 needle or a stitch holder or a cable needle.
Fold the Flap in half and K 1 stitch from each needle together continuing in this manner until end. You should have 6 stitches. Cast off in usual manner.
Finishing the Glomitt
Sew the side seams on the glove and on the flap darning in any end as you go.
Stitch between the fingers, a few stitches with your darning needle, if you want the fingers defined. You can also leave the hand open.
Sew the flap on the back of the glove 1 inch from the top. The flap can be held open with a magnet... I use a hematite bead on the back of the Glomitt and on the tip of the flap.
The right hand glove is the same as the left except using the instructions for the right hand thumb directions.
Here are some pictures of the Glomitt finished... I am sorry that the pictures are not better. I will have to get Teapot to model them later on when he get's home from work.
PS The bullying situation is still pending....
In the meantime, I will post the pattern here for anyone who would like to knit a pair.... and they are better than Halcyon's!
Mens Glomitts
Using 4mm knitting needles cast on 50 stitches.
Row 1: *K 3, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 2: Knit on knit stitches and purl on purl stitches.
Row 3: same as Row 1.
Row 4: same as Row 2.
Row 5: *Knit 3 and pass the first of the 3 over the other 2, P 2, repeat from * to end.
Row 6: * Knit 2, P1 increasing F and B, P1, repeat from * to end of row.
Continue on knitting rows 3 through 6 until you have completed 8 patterns.
Increase for the width of the hand in this way.
Knit rows 3 through 5.
Next Row: *K1 increasing F and B, K 1, P 1 increasing F and B, P1, repeat from * to end. 60 stitches.
Continue knitting the following rows until 4 more patterns have been completed.
Row 1: *K3, P3, repeat from * to end.
Row 2: Knit on knit stitches and purl on purl stitches.
Row 3: *K3 and pass the first of the 3 over the other 2, P3, repeat from * to end.
Row 4: *K3, P1 increasing F and B, P1, repeat from * to end.
Making the thumb hole: for the left hand glove.
Row 1: K3, (P3, K3) 3 times, K1.Then, knit the next 6 stitches in pattern with your contrasting scrap yarn. Drop contrasting scrap yarn so that both ends of it are hanging to the outside of the Glomitt (this makes it easier to remove the yarn later). Slide these 6 stitches off of the right needle back onto the left. Pick up your working yarn, and continue knitting Glomitt in the main pattern. This means you’ll knit the six stitches knit with the scrap yarn on your left needle again. Continue to the end of the row maintaining the pattern. Just keep knitting in the main pattern like nothing ever happened until 17 patterns have been repeated from the original cast on.
Cast off.
Making the thumb hole: for the right hand glove:
Row 1: (K3, P3,) 4 times, K2. Then, knit the next 6 stitches in pattern with your contrasting scrap yarn. Drop contrasting scrap yarn so that both ends of it are hanging to the outside of the Glomitt (this makes it easier to remove the yarn later). Slide these 6 stitches off of the right needle back onto the left. Pick up your working yarn, and continue knitting Glomitt in the main pattern. This means you’ll knit the six stitches knit with the scrap yarn on your left needle again. Continue to the end of the row maintaining the pattern. Just keep knitting in the main pattern like nothing ever happened until 17 patterns have been repeated from the original cast on.
Knit the thumb by removing the scrap piece of yarn and picking up 6 bottom stitches and 3 stitches in the side, 6 more across the top, and 3 more down the other side. There should be 18 stitches in all, divided over three sive 3 mm DPNs evenly. Knit thumb in stockinette stitch to length desired decreasing in this manner for the top of the thumb:
Next Row: *K2 tog, K1, repeat from * to end. 4 stitches per needle.
Next Row: Knit
Next Row: *K1, K2 tog, K1 repeat from * to end. 3 stitches per needle.
Break yarn and thread a darning needle, then pull the thread through all remaining stitches and draw tight, ending with a sewing stitch to hold the top of the thumb together. Darn in the tail of the thread.
Flap for the Glomitt:
Cast on 60 stitches with 4 mm needles.
Row 1: *K3, P3, repeat from * to end.
Row 2: Knit on knit stitches and purl on purl stitches.
Row 3: same as Row 1.
Row 4: same as Row 2.
Row 5: *K3 and pass the first of the 3 over the other 2, P3, repeat from * to end.
Row 6: *K3, P1 increasing F and B, P1, repeat from * to end.
Continue in pattern until 2 patterns have been completed.
Follow the first five rows of the pattern then:
Change to 3.25 mm needles and continue in stockinette stitch for 6 rows. Mark the middle of the row with a stitch marker.
Next Row: *K2, sl 1, K1, psso, knit to the last 4 stitches before the stitch marker*, K2 tog, K2. Pass the stitch marker from the left needle to the right and continue from * to * K2 tog, K2.
Continue in stockinette stitch for 2 rows.
Next Row: *K2, sl 1, K1, psso, knit to the last 4 stitches before the stitch marker*, K2 tog, K2. Pass the stitch marker from the left needle to the right and continue from * to * K2 tog, K2.
Continue in stockinette stitch for 2 rows.
Next Row: *K2, sl 1, K1, psso, knit to the last 4 stitches before the stitch marker*, K2 tog, K2. Pass the stitch marker from the left needle to the right and continue from * to * K2 tog, K2.
Continue in stockinette stitch for 1 row.
Next Row: *K2, sl 1, K1, psso, knit to the last 4 stitches before the stitch marker*, K2 tog, K2. Pass the stitch marker from the left needle to the right and continue from * to * K2 tog, K2.
Continue decreasing in this manner until 12 stitches are left. 6 before the marker and 6 after the marker.
To Cast off:
Slip first 6 stitches onto an extra size 3.25 needle or a stitch holder or a cable needle.
Fold the Flap in half and K 1 stitch from each needle together continuing in this manner until end. You should have 6 stitches. Cast off in usual manner.
Finishing the Glomitt
Sew the side seams on the glove and on the flap darning in any end as you go.
Stitch between the fingers, a few stitches with your darning needle, if you want the fingers defined. You can also leave the hand open.
Sew the flap on the back of the glove 1 inch from the top. The flap can be held open with a magnet... I use a hematite bead on the back of the Glomitt and on the tip of the flap.
The right hand glove is the same as the left except using the instructions for the right hand thumb directions.
Here are some pictures of the Glomitt finished... I am sorry that the pictures are not better. I will have to get Teapot to model them later on when he get's home from work.
PS The bullying situation is still pending....
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