Friday, January 30, 2015

Boosted

It was the mental health equivalent of feeling too sick to go to the doctor, Wednesday was.  I clung on, and have made it to today. How tired you must all be of reading about my agonies.  But thank you for sticking around.


Saturday, January 24, 2015

Blue

A finished pair of socks, in baby yarn.  I'm sort of enamored of them.

I found these Nativity scene buttons on eBay.  That's my palm they're lying in, so you can imagine how small they are.  I was tickled to find such a very different Nativity to add to my collection, but can't imagine exactly how they'd be used.




Thursday, January 22, 2015

Ornery

For the last couple of months, Mortality has been ringing in my ears.  Just about everything I've done, seen, or thought about has been couched in the Not Much Time Left blanket.  I'm not sure why this is happening, but it is.  

Things that I would have shrugged off earlier in my life, I know see as pathetic, possibly stupid, and definitely a waste of precious time and energy.  I've run out of patience.  

Of course, every one of my emotions this week is chemically imbalanced because of being off my medication regimen.  But I was noticing Creeping Crotchetiness before I got sick.
And stay off my lawn!

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Back At It

Things are just about back to normal here, healthwise.  I say "just about," because my body's refusal to keep anything inside for those couple of days meant I couldn't take my medications.  Which makes a much bigger, and far, far, far worse impact than it should.

Still, I did have some nice company while I was down.

Saturday, January 17, 2015

GI Woe

Both ends of my digestive tract declared war against me yesterday.  All day, and well into the night, I was wearing a path to and from the bathroom.

Today, I am sore from all the retching, and have what I know is a dehydration headache.  I've kept down saltines, but only eaten one at a time, very slowly, and at long intervals.  Hopefully, I'll feel better tomorrow.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Do A LIttle Dance, Get A Little Yarn. . .

Do you know how children's shows have little songs for different activities?  "Blue's Clues" had a mail time number, for example.  Each time one of these arrives, I do a kind of special song, I admit.

Today's yielded up quite a bounty:
Noro yarn AND Noro patterns.  Tea.  And an ingenious color grid to make coloration simpler.  Noro is my favoritest brand of yarn, and Noro patterns are delightful, but, as is often the case, one of the "little extras" in the package intrigues me most.  My decisions regarding colorwork aren't always the sharpest;  maybe this will help me develop an eye.

I am pleased with the color combo here:
Classic Elite "Mesa" cotton yarn, "Poplar Cowl" pattern from Ravelry.  This was fun to knit, for some reason.  I haven't deicded yet whether I'll put it in the etsy store or keep it for myself.

My friend, Camille, sent me Koigu and a cowl pattern from gotyarn? --- it arrived yesterday.  Spectacular, isn't it?  Camille is an angel.   I usually open the mail in the kitchen, and, after unpacking them, just laid these out on a counter to take the picture.  I didn't realize that the fork was there until later, but it kind of works, don't you think?

Next project?  I don't know.  Finn seems to be looking into one of my yarn bags for inspiration:

Thank all of you who responded to my post about Jo.  I've heard from her, and she's okay.  Ron's was a lengthy fight, and she sort of had time to "prepare."  Still, she says, she's in the "Anger" stage of grief, which is fully understandable.  Please continue to think about her.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

In

I have a candle whose wick, when burning, "crackles" like a small fireplace.  Tonight, that candle is aflame, everything that is completely unnecessary has been turned off, and I am going to read.


Monday, January 12, 2015

Fluid

It's become a drizzly/foggy night in Athens.  The kind of weather where you'd hear footsteps approaching, and Sherlock Holmes would appear under the streetlight.  The other night began with the most delicious shades of purple in the sky:
I don't really need one for every day, but scenes like that make me wish I had a really good, proper camera.

Hannah's water problem has been fixed, but Briton's is ongoing.  He thought his was, turned his shower on, and the knob came off in his hand.  Water started shooting out, hitting the back wall.  (Sort of Buster Keaton-ish funny, except when you're living it.)  He may have to ask to be moved to another apartment.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Dot. Dot. Dot.

The grand total of How Many Cowboy Boots Kim Owns is. . .
36 regular. . .
3 rain.
Here be the last pair:
  
These are the rainboots I wear most often.  I've always been drawn to calico prints.  And gingham.  

You must believe me that I had no idea how many boots I have.  I figured it was "around" 30. . .  I'm sort of pleased the total wound up being an even 3 dozen.  Am I now duty-bound to show any future boot purchases?

Speaking of purchases. . .
My friend Kelli is offering a free download of her lovely Hexagon Mitts through tomorrow.  Help yourself to her creativity!  And maybe find something else you like while you're there. . .

Friday, January 9, 2015

. . .And A Pink Carnation

Most of you, I think, know that I grew up around horses and horse shows.  My father was Ringmaster at some shows, Announcer at others, Judge at still more.  And every weekend that there were some left over, I got extra show ribbons.  These aren't mine, but it's a fair representation of my room during show season:

The other things I would always get were Daddy's boutonnieres.  A fresh one each night of a show, and, virtually always a carnation.  To this day, the sight of a single carnation can make me tear up.  It was, therefore, a no-brainer when I saw these boots:
I'm well aware that these are probably actually peonies or something (I don't know from flowers).  But in my mind and in my heart, these are my Daddy's Carnation boots.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Weather-Related

The cold has reached us, and everyone curled up approriately:

Both Briton and Hannah have burst water pipes.  Last I heard, she was trying to get in touch with her landlord, but, apparently, they won't have to move out for repairs or anything.  Briton just called about his;  his next call was to the emergency maintenance crew at the apartment.

Another pair of rain boots --- alligator rubber:
These are the boots I wore on the flight to Philadelphia.  They were on my feet when Shari picked me up and took me to meet Bridget at Rosie's, bringing together two parts of my world that I still have a little bit of trouble believing.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Pause

I hope you understand my wanting to take a break from the boot thing.  (My having called it a "shoot" now seems so flippant.)

There is so much to be sad about today --- let's be still for a while.


Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Jo

When I started going through my computer "routine" this morning, one of the first things I read was an e-mail from my friend Jo Morohashi.  A lot of you here know Jo, having found/met her on your own, or through a swap.  You know she is as caring, generous, calm and sweet a soul as there is.

Her e-mail this morning was to let us know that her husband, Ron, had died.  He had been sick for a long while, fighting with Erdheim-Chester Syndrome.  Some of us know all too well that, even when you are living with a killing disease, that final moment still comes as a shock.

I've stopped a lot today to think about Jo --- wondering how she's doing, hoping she is taking care of herself while having to take care of so many other things.  Mostly, though, I was hoping she was, somehow, sensing that her friends are heartsick for her, and would do anything they could to help her through this.

If you can, please stop and think about Jo.  Hold her up in whatever way you can.  She deserves it.

Who Needs A Generator?

Only four of you commented on yesterday's post, so I'll send yarn to each of you!  Watch your mailboxes. . .

The comments were unanimous in saying the rainboots be included in the Boot Shoot.  So, here you go:
I don't have any short boots but these.  I couldn't resist the pattern.

Cast on yesterday for The Paris Sweater.  I'm using Araucania Nature Cotton which I've had for a long time.  In fact, it may even be discontiued at this point.
Color 56 (third from the left on the bottom row) is what I'm working with.  I'm hoping the unusual texture of the yarn will work well with the unusual shaping of the sweater.


Monday, January 5, 2015

Giving It Away, But Not

As I said the other day, the Boot Shoot is coming to an end.  But I have a question.

I have some cowboy-boots-shaped rainboots.  Should they be included in the count?  Leave your opinion in the comments section, and I'll have a Random Number Generator choose a commenter to receive some nice yarn.  

Today:
These are the last (latest) pair I bought.
The embroidery work is so beautiful, don't you think?
I'm not a particular devotee of dragonflies, but these are lovely.  And, again, so different from anything else I have.

For those who responded to yesterday's post, the Battle still looms, and Mama Bear is increasingly angry, and ready to strike.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

It's Difficult

. . . to see your child on the edge of a battle.  Even when the battle is necessary.  It's difficult not to fly in and fight the battle for your child, because you are an enraged Mama Bear.  But most difficult of all is knowing that you have to --- must --- let your child fight that battle.  It goes against all the love in your body.  But children need to learn that they are strong and tough and self-reliant.  It's just difficult to watch and wait.

These boots fascinate me.  I can't figure out how the flowers are on the leather.  It's like some sort of silver leaf, or something.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

The Grandest of All

These boots are what my mother would have called "loud."
Yep, those are sequins in the horseshoes.  

I love these boots.  I wear them an awful lot because they coordinate with many of my clothes.  And they are so bloody comfortable. . .  I wore them to Stitches South one year, and Laurie and I compared our choices in footwear:
 

There is also a picture of me wearing these and Laurie in a different pair of Chucks, but I can't seem to find it.

My boots are fairly well-travelled.

Friday, January 2, 2015

Believe It or Not

The end is in sight.  There are just a handful of boots to go.  I know what the final tally will be, but will leave you in the dark.  Suspense and all, you know.

A very rainy day in Athens today, which has wreaked havoc on my sinuses.  I wasn't able to do any reading, or close work, because of the pain behind my eyes.  It's a good thing knitting doesn't have to be looked at constantly, or I would have gotten nothing done today at all.


Slouchy hats are The Thing around here right now.  I showed Hannah a couple I had finished for the etsy store, and she asked if she could have them.  There are a lot of free patterns around for "slouches," so I just started making them with whatever yarn would work. None have made it to the shop --- Hannah has a lot of friends who like hats, it would seem.

 This one is made from Bijou Basin Ranch "Lhasa Wilderness," a blend of yak down and bamboo.  I'm pretty sure I got it from KnitCrate. It is divine.  Not even a quarter of the way in, I knew I was going to keep this one, if it looked even halfway decent on me.  I put a simple twisted ribbing on it, which I think adds a nice touch.

Boots today: lizard skin and ultra-skinny toes:

People ask all the time if the pointed toes are painful.  Nope, because your foot stops well behind the "point."  If your toes do feel pinched in boots, you've got the wrong size.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

OOAK

(It took me a long time to, first, learn, then, second, remember what that stands for.)

These are the only over-the-knee boots I have.  I've had riding boots over the years, but they were never this tall.  These are super comfortable, and the honey/caramel color is beautiful.

Very quiet New Year's Day.  Knitting and football.  I've never been a natural frolicker.

48

If you've ever rented a movie on Amazon Prime, you know you have 48 hours in which to watch it.  (By the way, why do we "watch"...