Resolutions Schmezolutions

So, time to redirect from yesterdays ridiculous political ramblings...

I've never been one for New Years Resolutions. If it's a good thing to change in your life, why wait until New Years? Besides huge changes in personality and behaviors I've noticed never seem to work. You can through time make small changes here and there that become big changes.

But beyond that, I just always found them cheezy. But on that note with the end of the holidays upon us I have organized some items in my todo list. In fact, I've already addressed my wanting more spinning time by breaking a large project into several 30minute parts and the last couple days have made myself sit down at the wheel and get a chunk done each day. It's working wonderfully.

The other things I've organized is some lost and forlorn knitting projects. Okay, so maybe forlorn is an exaggeration, or at the very least assignment of human emotion to inanimate knitting projects. Even if they do kind of look forlorn there in the bottom of a forgotten knitting bag, begging for some attention. It's nothing near the YarnHarlot's brown bags per month scheme but that's simply due to my lack of  volume of unfinished projects. I'm not being a snob here, I just deny the chaotic part of myself that queues every appealing pattern on ravelry from actually casting on every appealing pattern. I only allow myself 3 active projects at once. It's a little goal I can cling to to keep some sanity in my life and the Knitting Loki at bay. And because of this little calm creating quirk I cling to desperately at times, I have fewer partially completed projects than some other knitters have. It's not a judgement on them, if anything it shows more than anything that even in the world of knitting, I'm not quite right.

On this note though, some things have been pushed back to allow time to finish Christmas presents, other things have gotten pushed back because I hate didn't enjoy knitting them. And other things just got boring. Last night as I was struggling to work on my socks I started over a month ago I decided to clean up my Ravelry Projects page. There are some long term projects such as my spinning and baby hats that still occur as time allows but they don't need to be listed as "Works in Progress". But there were three things that should have been done a while ago. One, is this damn pair of socks. Actually, they're quite pretty and I hope to have them done within a few days. They honestly just lost out to the time suck of Christmas or they would have been done awhile ago. And I MUST get them done before I cast on the Oliver socks I so desperately want to cast on with some yarn I won in a gift exchange this year. Socks aren't one of my favorite items to knit so I know that having two sets on the needles will drive me a little closer to the edge of actual nutso.

Then there's this to finish. It feels as though I am slitting my wrists with this project but I must get it done because I actually have a friend who wants to buy it. Don't ask me why... I don't know. I've already spouted my feelings towards this project and will not do it again in order to not offend some of this patterns/designers fans. I'm just not one of them.

And I have a project so close, so so close to being done for a class I teach in February that I can taste the fiber content on my tongue. But I just can't make myself finish it. It's boring repetitive knitting and it jsut laughs in the face of my knitting attention deficit disorder. But when these socks are done, I'll take the couple of hours to wipe this one out before sighing deeply and attacking the one I wish I could burn. Maybe I'll spin some before that... Or walk the dogs...

So, with that my redirection is complete. I hope to have at least the pictures of a new pair of socks to show you soon. And with any luck this head cold will be as dead as my love of certain knitting projects by them

The Cliff...

Forgive me, please. I try to not post my personal political views here. I find they just incite anger from some, hearty slaps on the back from others and basically polarize groups of friends, readers, and acquaintances. But I found myself spinning in front of the news last night as I was informed that once again, DC is to busy posturing and playing politics rather than working in politics.

My solution if we fall over the fiscal cliff. All the D.C. game players, yes all of them since they couldn't play nice in the sand box and do their jobs, which is find a way to work together to and move our country forward and up, not backwards and down, can not be paid. They didn't do their job. You're fired, go home or at least not be paid until you can make something work. When I don't perform at my job as an everyday citizen, it's what I can expect. It's time these people who were voted into office are held accountable. You can't do you're job, you can either lose it or not be paid for your time and you can pay for yourself to get to and from D.C. I think it would help add some extra push to finding a solution.

And while I'm spewing, for all the NRA(I own guns, I'm all for American's owning guns and protecting our rights to do so but parts of thr NRA are far to extreme for me to give my money to support, just for general knowledge before I get accused of anything) supporters who are stating we need armed guards in every school, since most of you are way right wing republicans (I know, it's a generalization and I apologize now for those offended), I ask this: Are you willing to raise taxes to pay for this? I'm just asking since it's the conservative repulicans that refuse to raise taxes. I personally worry about making an environment in our schools where a shootout is possible with our children in the crossfire.

Now that I pointed my finger at the Republicans I feel bad. But don't worry, I know the democrats are just as much a part of the issue... And no, I don't want to be the President. I know I can't do any better and truly, those egotistical enough to think they can I don't want anywhere near the office.

With that all said and off my chest, I'm done. Thank you, I'll try not to do it again. And since I' haven't read the paper, other media or turned on the television I'm just guessing some agreement was come to today that makes this whole rant null and void. But it would be logical for me to check that first, and this was a rant, and rant's aren't logical.

See what happens when you want more blogging people! You get illogical rants! Hey, look at that, I can shift blame too, maybe I should run for office.

Snow and a Scare

Not related though, except it's always a crappy night when you have an emergency, no?

Shiela the 17year old matron of the house seems to have maybe ruptured and ear drum. We don't know if the neck issue is related or perhaps she was a bit dizzy and fell though the dog door and hurt her neck. But yesterday Bob got home to find her crying in the garage contracted around and unable to walk or move much as she was trying to make her right ear meet her right butt cheek from what appeared to be a muscle spasm in her neck.

He called me and I packed up my spinning wheel and headed home in our freshly falling snow and slickened roads. She seemed to get over it and eat so we called the vet and rearranged her appointment for her injection so we actually saw a vet today. This morning she was sent home with ear drops and muscle relaxants and my fingers firmly crossed that it's this simple. She's 17, it's not going to be this simple, is it? You can be honest with me, I need some reason about now. 

Actually, this afternoon she seems to be doing well. She came outside while I shoveled snow and let me model the latest knit goods on her.

Isn't she beautiful? Both the scarf and the dog. Just don't let the dog breathe on you and she looks very pretty.

Basically, I'm of the mind that my dog is old. If she's hurting and I can't easily remedy this for her, we'll look at end of life care for her. I just can't see putting an ancient dog through hell and back should it be something serious. She's been to good to me for all these years for me to put her through that. So, if we can make her comfortable (as her arthritis injections seemed to until yesterday) we'll do it, but we're not having major surgery and long recoveries. Hell, at this age how long can she recover before she just runs out of heartbeats?

Anyway, back to more pretty subjects. It snowed. I decided to celebrate such things with walking the boys, shoveling, and getting pictures of some pretty things... I might have spun a little in there too. I'm working on "Basket of Plums" right now. Another very fitting name. When this was still in it's braid it did look like an assortment of plums laying altogether in their reds, purples and nectarines.

Once again, this is a Huckleberry product. I just love it. this one is another Polwarth 75%/Tussah Silk 25% blend. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Though I seem to be getting more out of the second single than the first. Hmmmm.

This little shawlette which is a late Christmas present (she'll forgive me) is from the "City of Y's) that I got from huckleberry knits in my fiber club. It's a 100% BFL mix made me think of my friend as well as some beads I had stashed away, so I went pattern hunting. I found the Stargazer Shawlette that was designed around some sequined yarn of about the same yardage I had so I ran with it. But I was kicking myself for the beading, oh I am learning to loath beading in my knitting. But it is pretty. I decided to call this one Jewels of the Pines because the yarn made me think of deep pine forests where you see subtle color differences between the different kinds of pines. I know, it's sappy.

Anyway, I need to get showerred and head to work. Hope you all have a wonderful day and spare some kind thoughts and positive energy for Shiela please.

Q.

Merry ***cough, cough, SNEEZE*** Christmas

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Here We spent it with Bob's family after I cooked and he cleaned. I got a cold just in time for it so I hope that with careful sneezing and coughing etiquette and proper hand washing protocols I managed to keep others from getting sick. I hate spreading illness myself.

I can easily deal with a cold, but the fact that I threw an upper rib (2nd) out while sneeze/coughing and it effects my neck and right shoulder it the real hassle oh well, Walgreens here I come.

The wonderful news is that I'm typing this quick entry before starting my day on the iPad Bob got me for Christmas!

Anyway, again I hope the holidays brought joy, cheer, and light to an otherwise dark time of year to both you and yours.

Q.

Bad Blogger, Bad!

It's been a month since I last blogged, and I'm so sorry. It seems as though my holiday funk this year has extended well beyond just my lack of desire to put up the tree or finish the Christmas knitting. And the funk snuck on me as fast as the actual holiday itself. I thought in May as I cast on the first of the Christmas presents that I was good to go and was going to be so ready and and amped for the holidays this year. It seems I was wrong.

Not only have I just this morning finished the last of the Christmas items,

but I have still failed to clean the house, set up the Christmas decorations or even started baking. I am quickly running out of time. The blue and gray one I made up on the fly. It's knit on the bias, seemed then has a garter stitch border added to each side to make it match. I'm considering actually writing this little pattern up and providing it here. We'll see if I ever get around to writing it up. I sometimes have great intentions but never wander back around to getting it done. I much prefer the creative part of things over the documenting the creativity part of it all.

Part of it has been this last week of work. I worked 9 straight days and was so apathetic about my night shifts that even on the longest night, I failed to pick up my knitting to get these last two items done.  But alas, today I decided to kick butt, get them finished, block them, bring up some boxes of decorations and wash the dang stinky dogs.

And the old girl might be one of the reason's I'm in a funk. Don't get me wrong, she seems to be doing just fine, and the new injections she's on for her arthritis seem to be making her feel better. I'm kicking myself for making an old deaf stubborn bitch more spunky, let me tell you. Maybe it's just the fact that I truly doubt she'll see an 18th Christmas, but hey, she's done this amazingly well so far maybe I shouldn't discount her.

To be honest, I don't know why I seem to just not be able to get into the Christmas spirit this year. I have to admit, this year has had some major trials. Maybe it's just that I want the year done and over with so we can start anew with what I hope will be a beautiful wet spring. Ha, I forgot there between gusts of wind that I live in Wyoming but a guy can dream, right?

Well, I basically wanted to let you all know that I'm alive, and we're still kicking here. I just have felt a lack of desire to keep everyong updated on anything. I haven't even been reading other blogs. But I'll get over this little hump and get back on track. I'm actually looking forward to casting on a new project tonight! I think the "have to" knitting has put a damper on wanting to knit. But on that note, I have wanted to spin.

I got the Dragonfly spun up into about 860yds of a wonderful 3 ply yarn

And I got City of Y's spun into about 250yds of a 2 ply that I'm calling House of Yes. This is what I'm going to cast on with tonight. It's actually going to be a late Christmas gift that was kind of inspired earlier this week that I've felt growing excitement for.I'll take holiday cheer wherever I can get it even if it's late in the game. Wish me luck.

Hope you all have a happy healthy holiday, and I hope you had a joyful solstice and return of the light.