I have to do it

I really do have to do some housework today................. there is no alternative............................ it has become and absolute necessity ................................ the laundry has to be done TODAY ............... I have no clean underwear or casual clothes.
YES I know I could go commando and dress up but I really don't like dressing up unless I have somewhere to go. I am going to Wednesday night Knit night at the Pool Hall but that is hardly something you dress up for ........... So I am doing laundry.
It is raining again today and wonder of wonders I DON"T MIND............. The heat and the poor air quality have been getting me down. The rain has cleared the air and is watering the new planets my DD gave me. I really have trouble remembering to water things.I actually have 6 indoor plants that have survived for about 10 years now despite my neglect................. This is absolutely amazing. I do a little better with outdoor plants but not a lot some days. You know the garden I was going to plant this year .................... wweeeeeelllllll ................ I think it is waiting until next year. I guess I could still plant radishes and lettuce and maybe carrots ...............................

Knitting -------hum -------- the shawl pattern I am testing is going along slowly because this fool make a mistake and then couldn't seem to fix it right so 6 rows later............ yes I counted every painful row that had to be ripped out. Any way I am back on track and past the point I started ripping. The Bag Kal that I figured I could keep up with is BEHIND........I was finished part one in a day. Part two I started after part 3 came out, I now am 1/3 of the way through part 3 and today part 4 comes out. It is a fun pattern to knit and as you use two strands of bulky yarn it goes much faster than the cob web lace knitting. Hopefully I can catch up on part . it would be nice to finish a KAL on time for once
The socks I am calling "I don't like these colours" have become the car knitting socks and the next pair I plan to start will be with the hand painted yarn from Gail and the pattern on the front of the book "Knitting socks from hand painted yarns" .

DH and I were supposed to do some things together today and go out for lunch. NO GO................. He got called to work and then he got another trip after that. It is nice because we can sure use the money but on the other hand there goes our day together. After weeks of maybe one trip a week he has had 4 trips already this week.

Spinning - well I am not keeping up with the TOUR DE FLECCE but I am getting more spinning done than usual. I plied my green BFL with a commercial rayon and I don't think I like it ............... DARN DARN DARN .......... It feels a bit scratchy for a shawl. I was going to make the Dragon shawl with it but will have to see if it is nicer after I wash it. I am almost finished spinning my merino/silk braid. Now to decide if I will ply it on it self or ply it with something else.............. decisions.........decisions............decisions.

Well I have no photos today or do I hhhhhhhuuuuuuummmmmm

This is the Merino/Silk I am spinning.


This is a poor colour photo of my BFL with the rayon.


My finished "They are nice Grandma but I wouldn't wear them" socks


I have just had a bathroom break and decided while I was in there that I might as well have my shower and wash my hair. Then I actually got dressed. After all it is only 2:45 pm and I did have to get dressed at some point today.

More laundry is washing and drying .................. I am drinking a luke warm cup of coffee as usual ............ I think I am developing ADD ............... I am so easily distracted. Fortunately several of my dearest friends are in various medical professions:- two Physical Therapists, One Occupational Therapist and one Neuropsychologist.

Well I think the Rivers of Babbleon have flowed enough for today. So have a great day and hugs to you all.

No riding lately

I haven't fallen off my bike lately mainly because I have not been on it. I have been toooooooooo stiff and sore. I am not sure what is going on but it can't be just the biking.

I am working on the bag KAL, the Swallowtail shawl and Tango Shawl. I am having to rip out 6 rows on the Tango one because I can't figure out what I have done wrong......... any way it is fixed and tomorrow I will work on it again. I am trying to catch up to everyone on the bag KAL. Have almost finished part 2 and then on to part 3 before part 4 comes out on Wednesday.

I spent part of the afternoon with DD #1 and we worked on her garden. It was a very nice afternoon. Tonight's dinner was purchased at Safeway as I did not feel like cooking. The heat has been getting the best of me

OH WOW, OH WOW, OH WOW

You should see the package I got in the mail this morning. It is absolutely wonderful......... I joined a "swap sock yarn from your stash" group on ravelry. Today my parcel from Cindy arrived OH MY GOSH ......... it's wonderful. She spoiled me rotten ......honest............. wait until you see it. THREE ........ YES THREE BALLS OF SOCK YARN and OPAL which I love......plus Double pointed needles for knitting socks, stitich markers, 2 cute buttons, a monkey egg, two little bags, a package of different teas, several different hot chocolate flavours, a copy of the local newspaper (she works there), her business card and a lovely note card.










This is the sampler shawl I have been knitting for Knitopia. The pattern is "Queen of the Earth Stole" by Anne Corcoran. The yarn is Zephyr Wool-silk from Fiddlesticks Knitting. It is being blocked, I will try to get a photo of someone modeling it before I take it to Lynn.





As you know I like to find sweaters in the thrift stores and take them apart to use the yarn for something else...........it's like going on treasure hunt. I look for natural fibres so you are looking at silk, cashmere, merino wool and combinations of the above. There is only one problem ........................ I just can't pass up a bargain.................... I think this is about half of my stash of re-cycled yarn. I have made two shawls and 2 pairs of mitts so far. I have a bag on the needles right now as well as a shawl. ...................... I do have patterns to go with most of the lace weight yarn.



This is the Swallowtail Lace Shawl by Evelyn Clark. My Dear Friend Gail gave me the ball of Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn.

I did it

I did it............ Yes I did ........................... I rode twice around the block ............... didn't fall off or run into anything............... I even managed to ride on bumpy ground. I remembered that the brakes are on the handle bars and the right hand brake is for the back wheels.

It might have something to do with the amount of sleep I had last night and today. I got up at 7:55,...... took my pills .......
went to the bathroom and then back to bed. I got up at noon, had brunch, visited with Jill, Shelby and Jessie. At 3:00 I lay down for a nap............ until 5:00............... the phone woke me................. it was Bill calling to see if I was alright as I hadn't phoned him.
I have been working on the sampler shawl between sleeps and I am BINDING OFF............................................. Hurray. I will finish and block it tomorrow.

It is now 11:30 and I think I need to go to bed ..................... yes believe it or not I am tired.
Good night

No blood

Ww went to the park today on ours bikes but I had another wipe out. ........................ I am not sure exactly what happened but down I went. Fortunately there was no vehicle near by......................... well why would there be .................we were on the sidewalk and I know cars are not supposed to be there..... That's why we were there instead of the road....... Anyway I have a little less skin on my left arm but no blood and no head injury as I was wearing my helmet.
DH just shook his head and asked if I was okay. He suggested I find someplace to practice riding that is all grass. Tomorrow I am going to go and ride around the school ground.
I have had a hot bath and some ice cream ......................... other than feeling rather stiff and sore I am fine. I wonder how much skin weights......................... it 's probably not a viable way to loose weight .................... besides the way I am going I will run out of skin in less than 2 weeks.

Jello

works wonders to help prevent sore muscles after an activity you are not used to. I am not too sore today but DH is insisting that I go buy elbow and knee pads.
DGD will be back this afternoon and we will go for a bike ride, probably to the park meanwhile I am going to do some knitting and wonder of wonders.............................. some house work. I have to do laundry and vacumn. The white dog hair on the mostly black carpet is driving me crazy .............................. well maybe crazier.
I also have some light grey wool that I want to dye yellow for a bag I am making. I really need to get it together....... it is noon.......I am not dressed.............. I just finished breakfast and I am playing on this silly machine.

Oh it is so nice to be retired.

OUCH

Well Shelby and I went shopping to buy me a bike. I haven't ridden a bike in about 15 years but I thought it would get me moving again. I definitely need to get more exercise so the plan is for DGD and I to go riding every day that she comes over.
Off we go and buy me a bike................ Has to be a girls bike as the women's bikes are too tall for me................. I get a lecture from the 8 year old about how I need to wear runners when I ride my bike, etc, etc, etc.
We get home with a bike and helmet, change my sandals for my RUNNERS and off we go. I am a little wobbly but not bad ......
Shelby says you are doing okay Grandma. We are going around the block and I am doing okay until we run out of sidewalk and have to ride on the road. I try to slow down a little as I am taking the corner a little wide............ There is a truck coming .......OH OH......... turn too sharply.............. try to brake ......................CRASH........... down I go and slide into the truck which fortunately is stopped by this time.............. The driver gets out to see if I am okay as does the passenger. ....................... The four people down the street come to check on me. Other than scrapes on elbow and knee (left side only) I am fine. What happened???????.................... last time I rode a bike the brakes were on the PEDALS................ Just pedal backwards and the bike stops..................................... NOT WITH THIS BIKE..............THE BRAKES ARE ON THE HANDLES................ The driver helps me up , I pick up my bike and start walking home. DGD says I should just push my bike home but I get back to the sidewalk and get on the bike. Ride down the block and back PRACTICING BRAKING before I go home. DGD hurries ahead of me so she can tell Grandpa that I wiped out......... Tattle tail........
My knee hurts still as does my elbow but tomorrow it is back on the bike although DGD and DH think I need elbow and knee pads.
The sampler shawl is really almost done this time. I had to rip out the one border I had done as I didn't do enough garter stitch before the border pattern.
Did a cyber spin-in today and got a fair bit done.
Well time to get something to eat and do some more knitting. Have to make some "Mr. Noodles" for the DGD .