Packing

Sea of boxes.

The living room, with D3 and D4 in the middle of packing up a whole lotta stuff.
Everything has to be labeled, of course, especially the fragile things.


Just look at those dimples!

Too Much Stuff!

That's been the mantra today. I've heard it from the contractor, from the packing-job-foreman, from the packers, from my helpers, from my daughter, and from myself.

The view when stuff started coming out of closets and hidey holes. Well, okay, some of it has been like this for a while now.
Here's the same view after it's all been carted off. Oh, those boxes in the corner? That's my interim kitchen! There's a table with the microwave on it, and the coffeemaker is going to live in the bathroom for a bit.

Looking at the old kitchen from a couple of angles. The refrigerator was supposed to move to the back room but they couldn't get the water line to the ice maker turned off. Once the plumber comes in to fix that little detail, we'll have the fridge in the new "kitchenette."

They are planning to start the demolition on the kitchen within the next day or two, as soon as they finish packing up the rest of the house.

Don't ask. We have bins and they are filling up fast. We may need a third bin, since so far there's very little furniture in them. Just boxes and boxes and tubs and tubs.

The packers? Well, let's just say they lack a certain finesse. It's going to be very interesting seeing what's in the boxes they've packed when it's time to bring everything back in.
Oh, and of course, there are now the resolutions that it's NOT all coming back in. Exactly how that will be implemented, I don't know. I just know... it's not all coming back in. Just the yarn. And the fabric. And... well, maybe a few things.
Garage sale, anyone??

Okay, going to go take some more pictures. Even if I can't always post (they are letting me have the computer for a few more days) I will try to keep pictures uploaded to my Flickr page, so just click on the Flickr badge and you can get caught up on this mad, bad, totally insupportable project!

Book Review: The Sky Isn't Visible from Here

I've just finished reading Felicia C. Sullivan's The Sky Isn't Visible from Here, Scenes from a Life. It's a book that I can imagine re-reading, because it was like sitting down with a good friend and letting the talk and ideas flow. It's not a straightforward memoir--you know the kind. The ones that start with "I was born... where I grew up... vignettes from my childhood... yadda yadda." I don't mind reading that kind of memoir, mind you; but I found this much more enjoyable, as a format.

It's no surprise to anyone who knows me that one of my favorite things to do is to sit with a friend (or two or more), a cup of coffee, and some good talk. That's exactly the feeling this book gave me--a series of chats where you gradually learn more and more about each other's lives.

And what a life Felicia has had! Living with a mother who was by turns overprotective and neglectful, with a series of men who were in and out of her life--some attentive, some abusive--Felicia watched her mother go down the spiral of drugs and alcohol. Ashamed of her mother, embarassed by her home life, she tried always to be the "good" girl and learned to protect herself by assuming the manners and lifestyle of the friends who seemed to have the "good" life she so desperately wanted.

But she couldn't keep it up for long, and the stress of trying to maintain the facade made her escape into drugs and drinking almost a foregone conclusion. She wanted so desperately to fit in, to be a different kind of person, and one way to get there was to find friends who would accept her. Didn't matter if they were "coke friends" or drinking buddies--what mattered was being accepted.

As she spiraled downward, she was able to catch herself and work her way back up toward self-acceptance, embracing her past with all its imperfections and horrors and misery, putting her journey down on paper as a way of coming to terms with it. Her writing style is very personal, very intimate, very revealing. She uses the immediacy of the present tense to good effect, making the readers feel as though they are a part of the vignette she's relating, watching the action and yet observing from an interior vantage point. This kind of manipulation of time works well in this context, providing a "now" experience that is lively and active rather than a passive narration.

There were several times while reading this book that I flashed back to episodes of my own life, both as a daughter and as a mother, drawing comparisons and making analogies. To me, this is part of the value of a book like this one, in that it helps one to put one's own life into the context of other lives and other people's experiences. I've had real-life friends who have lived through horrors and traumas, and after reading this book I feel as if Felicia is another one of them.

You can find this book here at Amazon, or at your local independent bookstore. You can also check on Booksense.com if you aren't sure where your local independent is. I love the convenience of online shopping as much--actually, ET probably loves it even more than I do--but I also know that there's no substitute for the "real thing" and that means buying local whenever possible. You can also check out the author's blog here.

Okay, off my soapbox now. I hope you've been inspired to at least look for this book and give it a try. You won't be sorry!

I'm Nuts

Or, if I'm not already, I soon will be! I've just put something into motion that has been on the longtime wish list, and while I'm having second and third thoughts about it, I'm going to go ahead with it.

Last night, D4 and I had a meeting with a remodeling contractor, to discuss the restoration of this house. We're going to start ASAP, as in meeting Monday night with the contractor and the job foremen and going ahead full bore.

I was going to post some "before" pictures but I've chickened out for now. I will take some, though, and show the world what I'm dealing with here. I have to admit to being a bit of a packrat--as if my stash-flashing hadn't already proven that!--although not totally down that path. I mean, there is a lot of stuff in this house. A LOT of stuff! But you can walk through the house without having to turn sideways; there aren't big piles of paper and trash everywhere. It's just that there's a lot of stuff. After 37 years in one place, things kind of accumulate.

Plus I tend to have the kind of obsessions that require a great deal in the way of supplies: knitting, and quilting, for example. Knitting doesn't require much equipment, thank goodness, but the quilting is a little different. Gotta have a sewing machine. Which has to have a place to live. And its own travel case. There are rulers and cutting mats and books and patterns and...

Anyway, over the years, there have always been other things to do with the time and money available, and other needs that took precedence over the house. Deferred maintenance, we used to call it when I was in the real estate biz. My mantra has always been that people are more important than things, so faced with the prospect of painting a room or spending a weekend doing things with the kids, well, no contest. Ditto when my husband was ill. But now, it's all about to change.

This is an old house. As in, built in 1921. Got a lot of character--Bachelder tile in the fireplace, interesting lines. The ceilings in the older part of the house are all curved into the walls; the living room ceiling is arched and high, and there's an archway to the dining room. Outside, there are high peaks to the roof and clipped gables--we made sure, when we added on, that the roofline of the new part echoed the roofline of the old part.

Now we're going to rewire the house (bye-bye, knob-and-tube wires!) and upgrade the electrical service (no more flipping a switch to turn on a light and having the bulb go "pop"); paint the outside and inside both; remove the carpeting and refinish the hardwood floors underneath. Oh, yeah, and remodel the kitchen, too. I am hoping that the guys will let me swing the sledgehammer for the kitchen demolition--something I've wanted to do for 37 years!

I figure if nothing else, this will provide lots of good blog fodder. I'm ready to part with a lot of the "stuff" and really, my major worry at this point is how my cats will handle all this upheaval. I think in the end there will be a much better environment for all of us--including the grandbabies and the furry ones--so it will be worth it.

Knitting is going to be my sanity, I have a feeling. Going to work on some of my Mission Possible 2008 projects--less stress than trying to do anything new! There's also going to be lots of Audrey-time as I take on my new "job" this week. She's such a cutie--we're going to have fun.

Hmmm. Wonder how Audrey will enjoy bossing the contractors around?? Ought to be interesting!

Thurs-day-out

Take one humongous shopping mall, mainly outlet stores but also a good smattering of other shops.


Add some sturdy walking shoes,

two strollers,

two sisters,

one grandmother,


one great-aunt--who also happens to be a great aunt!


Stir and allow to blend for several hours plus a good nourishing lunch.

Result? Today's outing to Ontario Mills, in Ontario, California. As opposed to that "other" Ontario, which it's often confused with, particularly in airports. This is the one you don't need a passport for, assuming you live in the USA; if you live anywhere else, well, it's definitely worth the trip!

Nathaniel is showing his dimples.


Do you know how hard it is to catch a little tiny guy's smile long enough to get the picture?





The cousins were playing on Audrey's quilt. Nate doesn't seem to mind that he's a boy on a pink quilt, and Audrey doesn't seem to mind sharing.

Head over to Audrey's place and check out her video!

A little while later, she found his sleeve and then his hand. Of course by then the cameras had been put away! Take my word for it, though, it was pretty darn cute.


"Read my feet!"


Audrey's Valentine's Day finery had a message for you!

Cat meets girl:

As in, who is this and why is she on my sofa?

Highland gets acquainted with Audrey. I'm not sure how he managed to balance himself on the side of the sofa cushion--he's a Very Large Cat, after all, and still outweighs Little Miss--but he did it, and he did NOT fall on her.

The blanket is one my mother had made, which I brought back on one of my trips East last year. It's made of one of those Mystery Yarns that my mom specialized in. It machine washes and dries and seems pretty indestructible. Yes, there are some glitches in the knitting, but then my mother was one of those people who never learned to read a pattern, so she'd just work out the design by knitting and trying different tactics till her piece looked like the picture. So I think this is pretty wonderful.

She'd only hate seeing the cat on it, I think, because she felt as though all living creatures were dangerous and out to get her. Naturally, all of our cats loved her, and she'd sit there with a purring cat draped across her lap, just exactly as if it was a rattlesnake coiled to strike. "You're a very pretty cat, but I don't like you, now go away!" she'd say, and the cat would curl up and purr a little louder.

Yes, that's a copy of Knitting Around next to Audrey. Her daddy's hat is coming from that book. Pictures soon, I think, as I'm almost to the decreases. Unfortunately most of the lights in the living room don't work (happens a lot) so there isn't enough light to read directions by. Tomorrow. You see, I think it's just that the extension cord came unplugged--but there isn't enough light to see by, to plug it back in. Old houses are such fun...

Nate got his blanket. He seems to like it a lot. His mama does too!

Hand for proportion.

Here's hoping you had a good V-Day! I will probably be hitting the leftover-Valentine's Day candy-half-off sale first thing in the morning!

Tomorrow is Cast On for Lenore Day for the OOPS Knitters. I still need to wind my skein into a ball...and find my pattern.

Tomorrow is also Audrey's 3-month-old "birthday" and Nate will be 4 weeks old as well. He gets to visit his doctor and we're waiting to hear how much weight he's gained.

Isn't it hard? Here some of us adults would love to lose weight, and we're cheering little Nate along to gain some. Life just isn't fair sometimes--I mean, I could spare him (quite) a few pounds!

Tuesday Topics

or, what makes me happy! Here's a perfect example: three, count 'em three, skeins of Lotus Yarns in a gorgeous deep dark black cherry/black raspberry/chocolate colorway called Bloodflower. Enough to make a shawl.

Because, you know I buy sock yarn to make everything BUT socks!

This is sooooo soft and pretty, and I love love love the colorway. I totally heart Melanie's yarns!

Oh, and today I got my Yarn Pirate shipment, too. I will show it once I know that everyone has gotten it. Suffice to say, it's another Georgia original, and a totally cool colorway. I already know a couple of projects it will work well for!

Okay, this is one of those serendipitous finds. I made this little blanket many many moons ago.

As in, probably close to to 25 years ago. It's a cream-color wool blend, in a fairly large gauge, with lots of Aran patterning. I remember making two of these; one for a friend, and this one I think was meant to be a gift and just took too long. Anyway, D4 was on the hunt for another "artifact" and while she didn't find the christening dress, she did turn this up. This is going to go to Nate. It's been washed and is now drying, and I'll take it to him next time I'm over that way. I think there may be a few more surprises like this lurking in t he depths of the closets. Have I mentioned that this house is generously endowed with closets and cubbies? Well, it is.
There are other treasures as well. I decided to do a little bookshelf-clearing. I mean, who else would have 4, count 'em 4, bookcases in just the bedroom? With paperbacks double-decked on the shelves? So I started going through them, and just in a half hour or so came up with 8 grocery sacks full.
These came to quilt class with me tonight, and I sent all the quilters home with a sack of books. I decided that I was driving the "bookmobile" tonight! The majority of them went home with Anne, since her complex has a lending library and they can use infusions of "new-to-them" books.
The saddest thing is that you can't even tell, looking at my bookcases, that I've gone through and done this. Now, that is truly indicative of what a bookworm I am.

Or, as one of my knitting friends commented apropos of my stash buildup, moderation is not exactly one of my virtues.

Sigh.

Okay, for the flower lovers among you (and you know who you are, all one of you!) here are my mini-daffodils, having a grand burst of springy color in amongst the dry soil.
Yeah, today was one of those winter days I just loathe--over 80, hot, dry, windy, and so smoggy the mountains have disappeared again.
The snowdrops are adorable. I love the tiny green dots on the edges of the blossoms--so improbable!

And, if you keep scrolling, you'll find more yarny goodness.
This is not new yarn, I should make very clear. This is some previously-acquired Kid Silk Haze, in a series of colors that I thought would make wonderful Ice Queens. Of course, that meant matching up beads to the colors.

When a friend happened to mention t hat she had a craving for Carmine's pasta pesto (yum), I knew the chance had come. Carmine's happens to be right next door... RIGHT NEXT DOOR!-- to Bead Central, aka The San Gabriel Bead Co. Yes, they are in Arcadia; they were in San Gabriel before that, and didn't change the name when they moved. (They were in the adorably kitschy Clearman's Village complex, next door to A Quilter's Dream, but it was razed to make way for what is possible the world's most hideously ugly department store. And the parking there is a mess, too.) Anyway, I found these beads to complement the KSH: a nice silver-lined clear bead for the Kid Silk Night in pale grey; a pretty blue for the Heavenly KSH; and for the smoke, a lavender/amethyst kind of color. Both the yarn and the beads are less purple-y than they look in this picture.

Let's hope I like making Ice Queen. Yes, I know I have supplies for 3 of them. See previous comment about moderation in all things...and besides, I spent less than $10. for all 6 packets of beads. That was a lot of fun for a little expenditure, and they don't take up a lot of room in the stash. As soon as I finish the current spate of hats (Nottingham 2 down, halfway up the first half of The Very Warm Hat/Scott's Charlie Brown hat, still looking for yarn for Nottingham 3) I think I will treat myself to some beaded lace.

No quilty pics tonight; most of the projects were in that kind of indeterminate state where they would look like a lot of little pieces of cut-up fabric. That happens some nights!!

First Thursday

In my innocence (or is it ignorance?) of the Ways of the Huntington I did not realize that First Thursdays are a Big Freakin' Deal there.

And me a member, too!

First Thursdays are free admission. All you have to do is call for a ticket, or request one online. This means that there are a whole lot more people there than you would normally find on a Thursday. Not that it felt crowded, you understand, once we found a place to park and got through the entrance.

It's a big place.

This shot will give you some idea of the vistas.

This little grovelet is right across the path from the waterfall.

Lots and lots of things in bloom, even in February. I'm not sure what this tree is called, but it's sure spectacular.


As are the epiphylums attached to the trunk of a palm tree.


Here's Nate, sleeping his way through the Japanese Garden.

Cousin Audrey wasn't a whole lot more interested.

In fact, she found her toy lion much more fascinating-- it jingles every time you hit a bump with the stroller, and when the path is paved with squares set off with 6 inches of grass between them, there are lots of bumps.

The magnolias are in bloom all over the place.

These pictures are dedicated to the people all over the east and midwest (you know who you are!) who are selfishly hogging all the snow and forcing us to take long walks in the sunshine and balmy temperatures.

Would I rather be snowed in and able to sit and knit on my sofa with a fire in the fireplace and a nice hot toddy, and a clear conscience?

Yeah, I would.

But would I want to have to dig my vehicle out of the snowbanks? Or listen to the thundersnow?
Well, maybe not so much.

I guess I'm going to work on a new theme for me this year:

Bloom where you're planted.
And if that means get out there and enjoy the blooms, well, dammit, I'll get out there and enjoy the blooms!

Happy Thursday!

Wednesday is for Knitting

Little visitor to our Wednesday knitting session:
Audrey is letting us know what she thinks of her new hat. She kept it on, though, and Mom was quite happy to have it.

So, of course, I had to cast on for the third part of the set: a hat for her daddy.

He has wanted a "Charlie Brown hat" for as long as I can remember. As soon as he found out I knit, he asked for one.

I bought the yarn (Knit Picks Wool of the Andes) and the book (EZ's Knitting Around) and have had them ready for a couple of years now.

But, I wanted to do the hat in double knitting, not at two hats joined at the brim.

Now, of course, with both mom and Audrey having new hats, well, I figured I'd just go for it.

I also cast on another Nottingham for Audrey's cousin Jessica. This one is a little bigger, since Jess is also a little bigger than Audrey. (She's 16. A little bigger!)

Now if I could just figure out a way to knit on both projects at once!

It occurs to me that I was awfully busy knitting for quite a while today, and somehow having only this much of each hat to show for it means that I may have been a bit optimistic. We'll see--there's got to be some good train-wreck TV on, so that should give me time to work on these.

Meanwhile, the feline part of the family was showing me that they know how to live...
find a comfy spot.
Curl up and look adorable.
Tell the world to go away already.
Simon says, why are you putting that thing in my face?


Don't you know it's nap time?


What ever happened to personal space anyway?

He knows he looks adorable on the quilt.

This is why all of my laundry is covered in cat hair, or as they would put it, properly seasoned.


Hmmm. Forget it then.

This is what I'm good at, and I'm going to just do it. You go play with the sticks and string.

The world is my purr pad!

And Another One Done...

Probably one of my fastest FOs ever! This is the Nottingham hat, made from the leftover ball of Pure Merino from Shedir.

Since Shedir was claimed by D5, it seemed right to make a semi-matching hat out of the remaining yarn for Audrey.

After three failed efforts on Sunday night, this was successfully cast on Monday night.

Worked on during my two hour wait at the doctor's office today (see previous post) and then again at class.

There were just a couple of decrease rows left at the end of class, so I finished them off while watching the tail end of The Biggest Loser.
Hey, free pattern, leftover yarn, cute as a bug's ear. What could be better??
Hurrah for finishing! Gail brought her little quilt to show us that's it's all done. Quilted, bound, and ready to be sent to France.

Anne started a Mystery Quilt project on Sunday--there are more pictures on her blog, but I wanted to take a couple and put them here as well.

Bright beautiful colors! And dinosaurs, too!!


And , one more quilt, which is a WIP at the shop, and no it isn't mine although I do like the style and I'd love to have one like it! I just thought it was interesting and inspiring and I wanted to share it.

Election Day--Primary

Whatever your political beliefs happen to be, don't forget to go out today and vote if you have primaries today. I've been, and have expressed my opinion on the Presidential primary and all 6 initiatives.

I'm usually way out of step with my fellow Temple Citizens. Oh well, as long as they reserve one booth for me I'm happy.

Then go over and see what Franklin and Dolores are up to. I didn't get to vote Fibertarian today, although I did manage to do a whole lotta Nottingham while I waited (and waited, and waited) at the doctor's office today. (I'm fat. My hemoglobin levels are down. Same old same old!) Knitting does keep one from throttling anyone while stuck in Doctor's Office Hell.

Pictures later. This little hat has finally taken off, and I have high hopes of getting it done shortly.

And if you don't have a reason to vote today, then Think Fibertarian!

Monday Meanderings

This first picture is for Dave, who expressed amazement when I mentioned going out to pick a lemon or two to make Lemon Squares. I suppose there are a few perks to living in the winter-less depths of SoCal.

Lemons off the tree would be one. So would oranges.

It was a busy, very tiring weekend around here--not that you could tell from any results around here, but it definitely was an on-the-go experience. D2 came to town on Friday and we spent the day getting her admitted to the Local University Hospital for some testing. Since her husband had driven them down, and was also operating with an injured knee, I drove out there and back. Let's just say, I've known for a long time that the 10 West and the 405 are really busy freeways. When it takes you 2 1/2 hours to travel across town, though, the reality does hit with a smack.

We finally bailed off the freeway and took surface streets the rest of the way back.

Of course, yesterday I had to make the drive again, this time with D4 & D5. So far, the testing has not been very uncomfortable for D2, and she's taking it all like a trouper.

Super Bowl Sunday isn't one of my favorite "holidays" but it's definitely high on the list for the spouses of my Ds! D3's husband went to a big party and was quite happy to enter the football pool--and little Nate won! I guess that can be the start of his college fund--hey, every little bit helps! We already think he's a lucky little boy, and I guess this just reinforces it.

My knitting for the weekend was pretty much an exercise in frustration. I tried casting on for Nottingham, a cute little hat-- and, after the third botched attempt, I finally gave up and threw the whole crinkly mess back into the knitting bag. I'll try again tonight and see if the Knitting Goddess is in a better mood. I mean, 72 stitches? In the round? I just finished Shedir--how hard can it be to make a smaller version?

Apparently, a lot harder!

I need to make up a few hats--Shedir was a big hit with Jessica, and she asked me to make her a hat. Now, you know as well as I do, if I make her one, her sister will want one as well. And Shedir has found a home with D5, but the last ball of yarn is just enough to make a little Nottingham for Audrey--how cute is that, anyway? Then Nate is in need of hats to keep his little bitty noggin warm--very tiny babies need to conserve body heat, even when they live in a relatively mild climate like ours. Oh, and I have some Blue Sky Cotton that is just asking to be knit into a Baby Bolero (from One Skein) before he gets too big for it.

Hmmm. Laughing Carrots (from Knitty.com) for, who else, the Grandcarrot. And working on my Mission Possible '08 goals, too. I think I need some couch time--here's hoping the Tivo worked, and I have some choices for tonight! (I love Tivo. I still don't believe in it, though--but it hasn't failed me yet.)

I did get a bit of baby-holding and Grandcarrot-snuggle time, though, so the weekend's activity was all worth it.
Today I decided that, without any great knitting pictures, I should just feature a few of the cheerier aspects of life around here. I mean, if I can't have snow days, then I have to play Pollyanna and look for the brighter side of things. (Pollyanna was one of my childhood favorites. If all you know of her is the saccharine Disney version, do look up the books--she's a funny, feisty little person who's a lot like Anne of Green Gables.)

These little purple oxalis pop up all over the yard this time of year, and then when it gets hot they go dormant and disappear. The leaves look like clover and I'm sure they're related to the bright yellow oxalis that also pops up--except that I don't have any yellow right now. I've also got my first daffodil of the season.

Oh, you want to see it? Okay. Here it is! Not the greatest picture, but definitely and defiantly a daffodil! (I had to prop it up on the flowerpot, because I stepped on it trying to get the picture of the camellia that's up above there.)