The Mystery Knitting

I knitted two gifts this year that I didn't really show you. The recipients have their gifts, so now you can see them too.

First, another pair of Evangelines, I knitted very quickly in January for my SIL. (For a link to the pattern, see the link in finished knitting projects, please.) The Collar picked out the pattern and the length, and the boys picked the yarn. It was kind of a family effort. The yarn is Mountain Mohair in peacock.
Next, another pair of Collar Socks. I've added 4 rounds of stockinette before the heel, and a bit of length to the foot, as apparently the foot shrinks a bit after several washings. This is turning into my go-to pattern for any socks I'm knitting for a male. The males I knit socks for may like color, but I don't think they want lace or too much patterning. Yarn for these socks is Brown Sheep Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn in Symphony. Personally, I don't mind pooling, and all the pooling seemed to be in similar spots on both socks. Kind of cool, I think.
In other news, the boys are home from school. We had 3" of snow, over yet another layer of ice. So, for all of you northerners who get snow, it's not the snow that is the problem. It's the ice. I am beginning to really, really hate ice. I'll get my revenge in a few months.

Overheard

Last night, The Collar and Game Boy were playing backgammon. I asked Game Boy why it bothers him to lose to his dad, but not to me. He said: "Because Dad is lower class than you."

The Wiz, to his father, "You only won because I blew the dice good!"

Tonight, while playing dominoes, the Wiz said, "I'm getting ready to rob a salad bar."

Really, I just live here.

February Blahs

I do not like February. It's always a rather interesting month. This year we've had spring weather, winter weather, flu, stomach viruses, septic tank problems, hives, and the like. It's almost always gray and dreary. There are too many things going on and not enough time to do them. There's also the added where are we going to be living this fall drama adding to the February Blahs. To top it off, this year we get an extra day!

Thursday The Wiz and I are going up to Lexington to check out his hives. They won't be there (they tend to be around for a couple of days and then go away), but something keeps setting him off. He's had them on and off since the beginning of January. It's safe to say they aren't going to go away on their own. : (

Spring is coming though. Daylight savings time starts in just under two weeks. Coach draw for soccer was yesterday. We have plants germinating and poking up from the ground. Spring break is two weeks away (for me). We're almost halfway through Lent. W-Mart has started setting up the garden center.

So here's a picture to remind us (me) that spring is coming:

Pinks of some sort that I took pictures of last May. Soon they'll be back.

: )

They went to school. I didn't (today's online).

: )

?I?@#*%$

There's an ice storm warning until 9:00 am tomorrow.

Guess whose children are now at home, early. Guess who probably won't have school tomorrow. Go on, guess!

AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH! Send adults, please.

Making Things

The lousier the weather and the health of the kids, the more I make things. I've been pretty busy with that lately. I made two things for the Wiz. One is for him to wear when he uses his new birthday presents (an alien maker and a potter's wheel). It's an apron sewn from an empty basmati rice sack, lined with red gingham material. It will be perfect for keeping his clothes clean(er). He also now has an apron for cooking. He's decided that he should wear safety goggles when he cooks, because things spatter, you know. The Wiz is trying to be cool, here. He's seven, now, you know. I have also started knitting myself a pair of socks. The pattern is Dublin Bay. I'm most of the way finished with the leg of one sock. The lace pattern is easy, but I keep messing it up on the second panel. I guess I'm tired. But it's a pretty pattern, and I should have a new pair of red socks soon.

Seven!

He made it! This picture is from February 20, 2001. He's been taken off of the CPAP, but he hadn't lost the extra pound or so of fluid that he had. It's before he developed the jaundice and had all of the bruises from labor and the IVs.

At the ripe old age of seven, The Wiz has had one hernia surgery, two sets of ear tubes, four bone marrow biopsies, and too many illnesses to count. He was born 6 weeks early, and spent 5 days in NICU.

He's a great kid to have around (unless you want quiet!). He's smart, and funny, and amazingly good at dealing with health care procedures that would make most adults cry. He loves pink, and cooking, and loves to make things.
Happy Birthday, Wiz. We love you. (Yes, even your brother.)

Home Again

This time, it was the Wiz. He threw up in the middle of the night. (Probably from eating too many sweets at his class party.) Before you worry, he's fine. He spent the whole day annoying me. He was supposed to be in his room resting, but that kid...

Oh well. At least I got a few things finished. I worked on my class(es) and made something. See?Picture taken by the Wiz in his room. Please ignore the mess behind me. I like it. Both of the boys want aprons. It's like putting on their soccer uniforms or something. The right gear for the right job I suppose.

I will go crazy though if I do not have my time alone with my computer next week. Just so you know.

Happy Valentine's Day

From the conversation heart box:Aren't these supposed to be G-rated?

Day #2

We're all home again today. The Collar has the flu. The boys are out of school for the second day. My class was canceled yesterday (more on that later).

This is what it looks like outside now:Real snow, for here. About 2 inches, maybe. Underneath it is ice, though. It is very slippery out there.

Yesterday, the boys' school was canceled, due to ice. We had about 1/2 inch covering pretty much everything. The U had a 2 hour delay, so before I left early to head north for my 8:00 class, I checked my school's website.

Nothing. Nada. Of course, this makes perfect sense. We are a commuter school, and we draw students from five counties surrounding the college location. We should go to school when there is ice, and car accidents closing the highway. Especially when there is freezing rain still coming down.

So I drive the Collar's car up to Lexington, as his is heavier. I drive all the way to L, and hear on the radio that Comm & Tech is now on a two hour delay. They decided to cancel the early morning classes. I get off the highway, get some gas, and go back on the highway and go home. Even though I didn't have to teach, I still had to drive in the freezing rain!

Right after that, a tractor-trailer jackknifed and closed the highway, right after where I turned around.

On the bright side, I finished the last knitted gift. I'll mail them out on Friday. It's one of the three projects I wanted to finish. All three are now done.

I'm going to start a pair of socks for myself. The Vogue Knitting Ultimate Sock Book has a variety of sock patterns, but also has a stitch dictionary. I'm going to use the stitch dictionary, and "design" a pair. That might be fun. I am going to use this yarn. I need more red socks.
*edited to save my butt.

A Good Day for Mail

I don't usually like getting the mail, but today's was good!

I ordered a few books (knitting and sewing). I don't have a lot of sewing books, so I thought I'd get a couple of books.
One is for quilting. I'd like to make some quilts. I need to be able to wash all of our bedding (darn allergies!) so if I make them, I won't be so upset when they fade and are rags. It's different when you buy them. The other one is an apron book. Since we are having cooking lessons, the boys need aprons. I could use a few too. Aprons are quick and easy and different from gift bags. (I made 6 yesterday.) Knitting books are great, because they are always good for ideas.
I also received a package from my VD Secret Pal on Knittyboard today. Fiberfool sent me knitting things, candy, and some Valentine's Decorations. It will be fun to do a little decorating, even if it's for the day after. (Choir rehearsal is the day of Valentine's.) The Wiz is going to want the yarn. He's such a lover of pink. Aren't the sock shaped knit protectors cute?! I am always in need of simple stitch markers too. I've started knitting a lot more things that require lots of them. I'm going to see how long I can hold out on eating the chocolates.

Boring, boring

It's all boring, all the time! A nice change for us.

Game Boy is recovering, but he's still feeling tired. He never felt horrible, mostly tired. He claims he's able to go back to school today, but he took three naps today. It's kind of nice that I can't go any place either.

Yesterday was the first time The Wiz put SDS and not getting to do something together. He was invited to a slumber party. I wouldn't let him stay, because he needs to take 6 medications and I am not really comfortable with that. He did get to go to the party for about 3 hours. He bellyached the entire ride home. He told me that sometimes he wishes he was normal. I told him that it's normal to feel that way.

I've been working (online classes means never having to call in sick) and generally hanging out. Want to see what else I've done? (Color is washed out.)This is a shot of the BIL socks. I've finished the foot of one, and am working on the foot of #2. I'm getting closer. I wound some yarn for the next pair of socks. Those will be for me. Then I'll work on pairs for each of the boys.

I'm 50% finished with the mitered square baby blanket. Two more squares, and then I'll figure out what to do as a border. I'm trying to decide if I'm going to do a green square next, or a blue one. Thoughts, anyone?

Resting

Poor Game Boy.

He came down with something last night. He didn't eat dinner, and was running a fever. When The Collar and The Wiz went to church (Ash Wednesday Eucharist), he and I stayed home. I read to him, and by 7:00, he was out.

He doesn't seem to feel too sick. He's eating homemade chicken noodle soup (an act of love, I'm telling you, as I have always hated eating that, even when we thought I could) and resting. He's fallen asleep during movies and the like. I think we'll keep him home tomorrow, too, and let him rest all weekend.

The bright side of this is that the Wiz and I can't go to choir rehearsal either. We're going to hang out at home and rest, too.

We're all so tired. The rain (we've had 8 inches so far this year!) is really starting to get us all down.

I'm almost finished with the foot of one of F's socks. It will be nice to go back to knitting things that I can share. Or that aren't miles of ribbing and stockinette. Maybe I'll knit another square for the baby blanket. Or not. Do you want to see what the baby blanket looks like so far? Well, it's all I have for pictures, so you will. The colors are bright and cheerful, so it's fun to knit. Miters are fun anyway because each row gets shorter and faster. I'm planning on making 16 miters, and I've made five, so far. The other two color schemes are these (I think!): the left column will be one set of squares and the right the other. Once it's completed, it will be a bright, soft, washable baby blanket. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it.

We're Here

and so is our house, and the cars, and all the other things that could have been carried away. Our garbage can did travel from our garage door down nearly to the street, but that's about it.

So, I was wondering,

If a tornado takes someone from Kansas to Oz, where would you go from Kentucky?

Signs of Spring

I'm wearing birkenstocks, without socks. (That's so much cooler than with socks, even funky handknit ones.)

There are tons of birds around. Screaming at each other.

The grass is turning green.

The buds on the forsythia and the pear tree are swelling.

I finished a pair of mittens for me. It is now unlikely for those of you who live near me, that any of us will need mittens. (You can all thank me later.)

And the best one--
I was able to ride my bike outside, not inside. :)

Eggplants and Cousins

We went up to BBFs' house and saw The Collar's cousins and their children. They have 4 boys ranging from 3 to 9 and a five month old daughter. Game Boy hadn't met all of these cousins (several weren't born when he last saw them) and The Wiz hadn't seen them for two years (they were visiting the same time as one of The Wiz's hematology appointments). We had a houseful of 6 boys--it was very active! I put up a crazy picture of the 6 boys because it was more realistic!Game Boy and his second cousin. (There's another one of him with another of his cousins in the same chair.)
The Wiz before he had a chance to pose. See, he's slowly getting over his anemia.

The baby is adorable. She has gone through a lot in her short life, but she is doing very well. Is there anything sweeter than a sleepy baby? One that sleeps in her mother's arms is pretty darn cute, too.
I have lots more pictures of all of the cousins. (The Collar's side is very boy heavy. On my side, it's very girl heavy.)
---
For those of you who come for the knitting, and not the rambles:

Last Friday, I decided that I was cold and needed actual mittens. I wasn't ready to make the convertible ones yet, but I needed (wanted) some quickly. I had a some extra yarn left from my friend P's hat and mittens, so I made a pair for me. The purple isn't my favorite color, but it'll do. I think they look like eggplants, complete with green thumbs. I still have pink and green left, so maybe I'll make some fingerless gloves for the Wiz's birthday--in 15 days.

P.S. F, I'm knitting the heels on your socks. They are close to being finished!

Catching up

I've been knitting miter squares (and F's socks). They are cheerful, and knit from dishcloth cotton. I thought I'd make place mats, but I think they are going to become a baby blanket. I'll probably donate it. No pictures yet.

Game Boy cooked dinner Wednesday night (with some assistance). He made cowboy beans, and had two helpings. He wants to cook one night a week from now on. It seems like a good idea to me. By the time he goes to college, he'll be able to cook, do laundry, and a few other important things. Notice that he's fine with me taking pictures of him when he's done something he finds successful!

The Wiz is fine. He has a rash, but I'm not sure if it's hives or not. Next week I'll start making phone calls to doctors. Our lives are too exciting.