The Time is Now!........

Please read "As the Bunny Spins" latest post; asthebunnyspins.blogspot.com The post is titled "The Second Bill of Rights" Something we should all take to heart! And please pass it on by any means possible.

There is a Gremlin Here..............

You know, a fiber gremlin. Geezz, I hate that. I've been working on 2 pair of socks at the same time. This might have been what coaxed the gremlin to rear it's ugly head.

Brown socks have taken a back seat while I finish burnt orange socks since the 3ply skein has been dried and balled up. However........just finished the toe on sock one. Only to discover it is a couple inches short of intended length. Oh yes, I measured the foot before starting toe decrease. More than once. Yes, it measured just over 6". A good length.

However, after the toe was finished, it looked like the same length as before. Yep. Way too short. The gremlin strikes again. This will have to be ripped back.

Only now that the sock is just about completed, I'm not so sure I care for it at all. Needs to be ripped back to the heel and do over. I'm not happy with the sole; should've stayed with the doubleknit instead of 1/1 ribbing. Crap. This means the second sock will have to ripped back to the heel also. Definitely a gremlin.

This is what happens when I think I'm so smart and can do more than one project at a time. Ain't gonna happen. C'est le vie.

I think I'm going to step away from knitting and get back to spinning. Got 2 bobbins of 3 ply black Shetland/beads done; looks like maybe 2 more bobbins to go. I also stripped some white Shetland (hey, I didn't know I had this!!! Wow!) that was found when sorting out the stash. So itching to start spinning it up.

But.......I had just better concentrate on getting the black plied and finished. Because I know what's lurking around here somewhere. Just waiting for the opportunity to screw something up again. Oh no. Not this time. I'm hip (hep?).

Another snowstorm hit us yesterday. Actually it started Tuesday night and lasted til yesterday afternoon. Which it ended much sooner than the weather man had predicted. And we didn't see the 8" - 14" that he spouted we were getting. Just a few inches but the winds - ah, this prediction was dead-on - oh yeah. 40 mph? Sure seemed like it; the roof sure sounded like it.

Computer is still acting up. After working on it for 5 days or so, I have given up. I can still read the mail and blogs; still get to the necessary sites without too much trouble. So, what will be, will be. The only thing that worries me is........um, yeah, gremlin. You don't suppose it has other interests besides knitting and spinning, do you?!

Awww, C'Mon...........

This is one of those "aw, c'mon days". I've been up since 3:45am; it's only 7:15am now, but I can tell you -- it's gonna be one of those days.

**Just heard the weather report. Snow/sleet storm coming tomorrow and lasting until Wednesday night. Greaatt. We did have some warm weather this past week; some sun, some grey skies. Some areas still have a foot of snow on the ground. And now this.......

**We didn't get to see the Super Moon Friday or Saturday nights. Cloudy skies. Ratz!!

**I'm knitting a pair of socks; intend on using the rust yarn for the heels and toes. Only, the rust yarn is still a "single" on the bobbin. Yep. Didn't get around to navajo plying that a few weeks ago like I said. So, what to do? Well, start the second sock (thank goodness for 2 sets of the same size needles). Now, ply the single; wash it and hang to dry.

**But in the meantime, I also finished second sock to the point of the heel. Now what? Ohh, yeah. Cast on for another pair - in different color, of course - and different size needles. Ok. Done.

**Well, that black/beaded alpaca still needs to be plied. Yep. Finally finished the black Shetland. Well - there is one small ball left, maybe 2-3 oz. But I wanted to save that for plying with the grey Shetland -- whenever that gets spun. But that's another story for another time. So, I start to ply the blacks this morning. It is decided to be a 3 ply. Why? I don't know. I am not thinking straight these days. Onward and upward..........everything is going along fine; it's spinning like a dream; single w/beads is behaving. Then something goes terribly wrong. I can't remember if I set it down to get coffee; I don't know. But all 3 plies became so horrible twisted, tangled, knotted --- it was a mess!! OMG!! After struggling to get it undone for about 15 minutes, my impatience won out. And I cut it. Now I have to tie each bobbin to its end and devise a plan to keep this from happening again! Well, with the help of a "Chip Clip" (you know, what you use to keep potato chip bags closed), and wrapping the beaded single around the hooks when I stop, so far so good!

Of course, I do believe that I will wait for BH to be in the same room with me so he can get my coffee!! Ehhh, but the trip to the bathroom will be another problem!

**Today I will ball the rust yarn and return to the first pair of socks, continue knitting. Then back to the striped brown ones.

**Gotta get to the store today -- before the big storm hits. They say anywhere from 8" to 14" of snow and sleet between tomorrow and Wednesday night. Good Grief!!

**Oh yeah. And the computer is still acting up. Did not call techie son. Been trying for 2 days to get things working on my own. Can't use the scanner. And when you want to go on a web site from a list of sites, computer takes us to some obscure advertising site. Don't know what I'm gonna do. I'm beginning to wonder if all this isn't caused by Yahoo. I just read, while trying to look for forums of same problems, someone said that Yahoo was bought out by AT&T. Well.......that explains a lot!! At least I can still get on the blogs our email and my banking site.......for now. Crap!

**On top of all this, BH is losing his cool. Crabby temperament is setting in. I can't deal with this. Thank goodness there will be a lot of snow coming. He can get outside and shovel.

Maybe it would be a good idea to have a snowstorm at least once a week until the end of May --- when fishing season opens!! Then I'll be a fisherman's widow. Which is all I can hope for right now.

Progress and Technology......Oxymorons

Caution: This is a rant.

So a few days ago (actually by now, I think it was a week ago), BH discovers that he cannot get on any game sites on the computer. He loves to play cribbage -- for hours -----and hours. No go.

"You must've done something wrong; you hit something by mistake" says techie me. "Let me see".

BH: "I didn't touch anything. I went on-line the way I always do."

Now I'm fiddling with buttons, sites, restarts, etc. Nothing.

ME: "I think it's a problem with Yahoo. You know how they're always screwing up the game sites. Just give it a few days".

And that is the extent of my computer tech expertise. Let me also mention that while BH and I were trying everything in our Microsoft power to correct the situation, the computer kept restarting on it's own! Right in the middle of opening a page - bam! Down she went and restarted. By this time, I could chew nails - hardware, not finger.

So we let it be. No games. Until 2 days ago. I had to make copies of some documents. Low and behold -- the scanner doesn't work! Won't scan docs, won't scan pictures. This funky error keeps coming up. Believe me, I looked high and low; went through all computer searches; entered the error in the homepage search box -- nothing. Went to HP's web site. Oh, that's a joke!! And I'm not laughing - I fail to get the punch line.

There is nothing, no where, that leads me to find the remedy. Ahh, then I seem to recall that last year our sonwhowaslivingwithus, and who IS a computer tech, told me I needed driver updates. And he proceeded to install them with no hassle; everything was up and running; all was good.

Well, I can do this. So, I have spent the last 2 days looking for FREE driver downloads. Yes, I first went to HP website. Oh, the downloads were there alright; and I did. Only to find out that after the initial installation and the system scan to see which ones are needed, you are now required to sign up and PAY $29.95 before it goes any further. OH NO. NO WAY. I bought your product, now you supply me with the free downloads to keep it working. What, was I just born yesterday??!!

So, this morning, I have just spent 2 hours searching techie websites that I know "sonwutlwu" uses for free software. I got excited. Thought I was finally on the right path. Downloaded the drivers, scanned the system ----shit. Sign up and pay a "1 year membership fee". Nope. Ain't gonna happen.

Well, the last resort is to call son and ask him what to do. The bad thing about this is, he might decide he has to come up here this weekend to fix the whole thing. I don't want him doing that. It's a 3 hr. drive one way. And I can't be sure he'll give me instructions over the phone. You know how these techie guys can be. Don't want to give away professional secrets! But, a phone call is probably necessary.

Especially since I read in the Microsoft users handbook (another waste of money - yeah, user if you have a computer degree!) that if drivers aren't updated and things start to go wonky, it'll continue effecting all aspects of the computer until you finally reach the dreaded "Blue Screen of Death"! OMG!!

Oh, there is one more option. I will go to the Microsoft support site and write a little nasty question as to why I can't install a driver without paying for it. It'll just be a little nasty, though. You know how those technie guys can be!!

BTW: Happy St. Paddy's Day!! (I hope the experiences of the past few days is not associated with "Luck of the Irish!")

Eh..Same Old; Same Old.............

The bed is made, dishes put away, load of laundry in the washer and knitted 5 rows on the second sock, with 5 more to go before starting the toe decrease. Pretty good, huh?

Still need to make breakfast, pay a few bills and run an errand. Oh, and call girlfriend and tell her the slipper boots are done.

I've been consistant with the spinning - maybe 8 oz. more of the black Shetland and that will be finished.

Yesterday I courageously entered the spare room where the fiber stash is held. Decided to sort out and pick the next color to spin. I do believe the winner is white. Just plain white. Ahh, but maybe not so plain. This has not been determined yet.

Although I have no plain white yarn spun up for projects, the idea of spinning the fiber with irridescent glitz or maybe the crystal glass beads is intriguing. For this future yarn, I have a plan. But I really need just plain white. Geezz. It may be way too early in the morning for this decision --- maybe it'll come to me later in the day.

I did come upon blue fiber. 4 different shades to be exact. Ooohhh, it looks beautiful! Oh yeah. I can see beautiful items created of this future yarn. Maybe..........no. no. no. Think white.

Of course, there's 8 oz. of red fiber that needs to be finished spinning. Already spun 8 oz. some time ago, and readily knitted socks. I should really finish this up.

And then I opened the tote with the HUGE batt of a non-descript wool purchased at St. Peter's Woolen Mill about 6 years ago. (sigh). I had forgotten how soft and what a beautiful "oatmeal" color it is! Oh Man!!! What a great Aran sweater this would make! Actually, this was the plan for it when purchased --- to be a gift for my sister.......for Christmas......one of these years. I even bought pewter buttons with Irish symbols embossed on them.......8 yrs. ago. (bigger sigh). Yep, buttons before the fiber. Horse before the cart. Blogs before work. It's me.

Well, ya know, you don't get much done while sitting at the computer, reading blogs (which is my favorite thing to do early in the morning). I better get my arse moving and get something accomplished today.

The sun is shining. Temps should be agreeable. Wheel is waiting. Everyone have a great day!

Good News......Bad News.........

Good news: It was 36 degrees yesterday!! Can I get a "WhooHoo!"? Sun was shining, snow and ice was melting, roads were dry. I even opened the window in family room for the afternoon.

Bad news: We went to the casino yesterday - my makeup day from a few weeks ago when I couldn't go, but BH and son did. Hey, I'm owed my day of fun! And......we lost! Nada; zip; zilch. This doesn't happen very often - we usually walk out with at least as much as we walked in with. Ohh, that hurt!

Good news: BH had enough points on his members card that we had a great lunch in the dining room -- for free! Hehehe, we'll win one way or another!

Bad news: We're supposed to get snow today, and a snowstorm this weekend. Geezz. This is getting monotonous! Seriously playing on my last nerve.

Good news: I started the slipper boots for my friend this morning. I should have all 4 pair done by this weekend. (I know - she ordered 3 pair, but one is for her aged mother in law. So I figured, why not make the lady 2 pairs for herself also).

Bad news: This puts my spinning and finishing up the second sock on hold for a few days. I don't do good at being distracted from my appointed tasks. I think I have ......ADFD....Attention Deficit Fiber Disorder. Thank goodness I have an ample stash to keep me focused! I won't have to run to a fiber shop to get me back on track.

Good news: Although.......going to the fiber shop is always in the best interest of my health -- not to mention anyone else's who happen to be living in the same house with me! (Ahem....)

You've Got to Be Kidding Me...........

So, I'm cleaning our bedroom Friday, dusting and vacuuming. Just for the hell of it, I pull out the scale and decide to see what my weight is. First mistake. Oh. No. This. Can't. Be. ...... How did this happen!!??

I have gained 10#s since losing my job, mid-December. Oh yeah!! The holidays!! Everyone knows we gain weight! Whew. No problem. I can lose this easy!

Funny, that's what I used to tell myself a couple of years before I went back to work and I was putting on 10#s a month!! I really thought there was something medically wrong with me....something I didn't want to know. But I was comfortable in my skin (of which there was more and more)........until I see photos of myself, or I had to keep buying larger sizes of clothes. The kicker was when I started wearing the clothes my daughter has outgrown ----size 22. (She DOES have medically problems and has always been a big girl).

And from the time I went to work, 2 yrs ago, until said December, I lost 36 pounds! I was really fearful of putting that weight back on. Looks like the fear is becoming a reality!

So now I'm on a "no lunch" diet. A glass of milk is all. Smaller portions at supper and rarely any desserts. Of course, I know that there has to be some sort of exercising involved too. That's what Spring cleaning is for!! But that won't take place til next month.

For now, it's spinning. Nooo, not on the stationary bikes that is the rage these days.......the old fashioned spinning - with a spinning wheel. I know. I know. The only activity is peddling the treadle board. But at least my calves will be shapely! And of course, leaning over and changing hooks on the flyer. That's kind of an aerobic exercise -- stretching, leaning with my arms.

I do have 2 aerobic dvd's. I just have to pull them out of the tv cabinet. They're stashed waaayyyy in the back of a bunch of old movies and a defunct Nintendo game system. I just might have to do that. As soon as I find the time.......

On a brighter note, I have one sock finished and the other is half done. However, I received a phone call Friday from one of my ex-co-workers. She asked if I could make 4 more pair of the boot slippers that I gave her as a Christmas gift. She and her daughter love them so much, they would like an extra pair. Of course I can. She also offered to pay for them (that gets ya inspired!), so we agreed on a price. I think today I will bring over my tub of (ak, ak, cough) acrylic yarns and get started.

The smart side of my brain tells me to offer her the pattern for these slippers --- just in case she'd like to make some up herself ---- after I deliver her 4 pair, of course. She does crochet, but I don't know if she's done anything other than afgans. We'll see.

Had son and grandson over for dinner yesterday - turkey and most of the trimmings, with a cherry cheesecake for dessert. (Eh, yeah. Mistake #2) Yum!! Everything turned out great. Then we played a board game after dishes were done. It was nice to spend some time with them. Last was Super Bowl Sunday, but that wasn't my bag, so it was mostly the guys hanging out with me being the "waitress".

I'm making good progress on spinning the black Shetland. Got the 3rd bobbin almost done. Maybe 2 more bobbins and that color will be finished. However, there is still about 4#s of grey Shetland still in waiting! Ah, but there's plans for some of it. I've been buying up KoolAid all last week at the grocery store (it was on sale). I've never dyed a colored fiber before, only white. So I think this will be very interesting. The gray Shetland is shaded from very light to medium. I picked up Black Cherry, Lime, some kind of Blue punch and regular Cherry mixes. Plus I have all different corresponding colors of Wilton paste dyes. This should be fun!! My brain tells me it will be fun. Okey dokey, then.

The bobbins of alpaca/beads needs to be plied - with the Shetland. I'm thinking of starting that this morning. But I don't feel the mojo for that. I really need to be relaxed, in the mood and in a concentrating state to ply this; really need to pay attention to spacing the beads. And because it'll be a 3ply, this takes even more attention. Not sure I'm there today.

There's some laundry to be done today, straightening up the house and a couple of errands to run. Don'tcha just hate it when your day is interrupted by these mundane bothers?? Seriously takes away "me" time. Well, at least I won't have to cook supper tonight -- leftovers!!

Hey, did you see the Helix scarves in SpinOff magazine? These look so cool. And the pattern doesn't seem difficult. Now I'm thinking of whipping one of those up --like, right now. Today. Or tomorrow. Just something different. I hope I have enough yarn of a color in my stash. Don't really want to start spinning another color just for this project. Because I don't move very fast. It'd be another 3 months before the fiber was spun, plied and prepared to this project!

I better get moving. So much to do; so little time. You would think that just getting your blood pumping with excitement and running back and forth to the "stash" room would cause a person to lose at least 2 - 3 pounds, right?? Hey, it's worth a try!