Can I get a Pod Check?

You may know, (or have gathered) that I am not particularly focused on my creating and making. I have to pretend to be a responsible adult and meet goals and expectations all week, so generally don't do that on my "me" time. That is the time when the OSS (Ooh Shiny Syndrome) is allowed free reign.

Something has happened. Something strange. I don't have a basement, so that's not where the body snatcher pods are - maybe I should have someone check the closet in the stash room. I have been setting and meeting goals on my fun stuff.

Goals for last week stood at - 10 rows per night on the Per Terras shawl, 4 rows (one pattern repeat) on the Pillar socks, complete the Jitterbug Velvet Olive socks, work through chart 3 on the Midwinter's eve shawl.

Frighteningly enough - all were met. We'll see how long this bout of responsible behavior lasts. (Even more scary in the light that just last week I was discussing responsible behavior as well - AND I have a Magic Purple Unicorn with cashmere/silk/merino yarn waiting in the wings to be cast on - and it' still waiting until I finish some things!) (Well, OK, honestly, or until I lose focus on the current bout of responsible behavior.)

This week, goal is to continue the Per Terras 10 rows per night, the 4 rows for the Pillar socks, 2 rows on the Midwinter's Eve (I can only do so much before and after work, after all!) and get the finishing done on the potholders that have been languishing at 95% done, just waiting for batting and backing.

Can I get someone over here to do a sweep of the house with flashlights and flamethrowers? (Get the pods, just look out for the stash itself!)

Seriously.

Smug

Having finally realized (or accepted) that I long ago reached SABLE (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy), I have been making a concerted effort to dig out and finish assorted WIP's, WISP's, and UFO's. I figure when my son has to hold my estate sale someday, it will be easier to sell complete, unopened kits than half finished items. (And no, I don't expect this temporary round of being good and responsible to last, my Start-itis is both chronic and severe.)

In digging around through the various WIP's, I found the Midwinter's Eve shawl from Goddess Knits. Upon pulling it out of its project bag, I realized I was almost done with clue 3 out of 5 total. Figuring this would be a good one to pick up, since it would be a relatively quick finish, I started knitting on it again.

Only a row and a half in, I realized something was very wrong. What I was doing did not look at all like what was already in the shawl. I put it down and thought for a bit, then realized that in the last year and a half, I have corrected some rather strange things I was doing with my knitting (a result of being originally self-taught). I went back, studied the fabric of this shawl, compared to the fabric of more recent items, and, (here's the smug part), not only figured out why it looked different, but was able to recreate it so I don't have to start all over!

I used to knit wrapping yarn clockwise, which results in twisted stitches. This is not something that's particularly noticeable in a finished item (unless you're a master knitter, or a ranking officer in the Knitting Police), so I have no problem finishing this shawl as is. I am now merrily knitting away on this in a completely "wrong" manner, while at the same time knitting "correctly" on other items, which makes for an interesting few minutes when first switching projects.

And people wonder why I'm so confused all the time.

Drive-by update

Really really tired this weekend. I think I'm starting a flare, plus work is trying to kill me. It was bad enough yesterday that I slept so late the ferrets were threatening to report me to the Humane Society (their breakfast was an hour and a half late - OBVIUOSLY gross neglect - never mind that there was still plenty of food in their dish).

I did manage to finish a big project from the UFO pile. Christine's Rose Garden, from a Yahoo knit along. This has been in progress for about a year and a half. (One of those that bogged down in the middle, and has been picked at for a while until reaching critical mass of being close enough to finished to be prioritized.)

Oh, and here is the picture of the Broadripple socks that I was too lazy to take and post a couple of weeks ago. Like I said - slow week here. Bleah.

Can you give them hope?

As you may know, all four members of the Insane Weasel Posse are rescues. Frick and Frack were a "private adoption", Finn was a rescue from the dog pound (listed as a stray) and Elf was an "owner surrender" at the Humane Society. I've always had a soft spot for abandoned, special need, and otherwise unwanted animals. This is why my first job ever, working in a pet shop, was a bad idea. At one time I had a blind hamster, an epileptic parakeet, a gerbil that was missing a foot...well, you get the idea.

The problem is, many "special needs" or "senior" pets never get a chance. They end up in a shelter, and get passed over for younger, cuter, healthier pets. I see all the time in classified ads notices for senior pets, usually because the owner has had to go to assisted living, or has passed away, and the relatives don't have time or patience for an old or ailing animal. Suddenly, a pet that was someone's baby for many years finds itself abandoned in a lonely cage as people pass it by with never a glance. Eventually they meet the sad end of far too many unwanted, unadopted animals.

August 12 is Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Day. Whether it's a senior dog, a special needs animal, or the ever maligned black cat, please consider a "Less Adoptable" animal. Many of them are calmer, already trained, or so grateful for a chance to not be in a cage any more that they make the best pets ever. On behalf of those who can't speak for themselves, Thanks!

P.S. Until I figure out why the code isn't 100% showing, where it says 'code', put in your zip code. Select the type of animal you're looking for from the drop down box, and you'll see everyone in your area that needs help!

Randomness

This week is all over the map. I haven't been able to seem to settle down and focus on any one thing, so here goes a series of random updates. There may or may not be follow ups on any of these items later.

Finn did just fine with his distemper shot (this is the one that ferrets can potentially have a reaction to). He wasn't quite as well behaved as last week, but I think that was mostly due to a dog in another room having hysterics. The barking seemed to freak him out a little.

Finished the Broadripple socks. I think they'd have done better with a stretchier yarn (which is what they're designed for). I've been too lazy to take pictures, but will update to Ravelry (hopefully) some time this week. May post pictures here if I do an update that I can manage to relate them to.

I think I have a yarn problem. Seriously. I found a stash of sock yarn I don't remember. I have no recollection of when, where, or why I bought it. Some of it even had patterns packaged up with the yarn (PIGS for those familiar with the term). I'm still trying to figure out why I have over 800 yards of one of them though. No pattern, no clue with that one.

My workplace had free admission for employees at the Cummer museum. This was the last days of the Quilts of Gees Bend exhibit, so was fortunate enough to see those. There was also an exhibit by Paul Jenkins. I wasn't familiar with his work, but took some notes and intend to do some research. That one is still there through August 9th if you happen to like abstract works. A couple of my favorite paintings from the permanent exhibits were MIA however. One of the guard/docent/whatever gentlemen told me that some were on loan, and some were currently off exhibit due to having to clear part of some of the galleries due to roof leaks and repair work.

I think I'm about to fall off the finish-itis wagon. I had been doing pretty well with the finish two, start one goal. The above mentioned sock yarn find may have killed that though. On the bright side, socks are a comparitively quick knit, so that theoretically will help the FO to UFO ratio. (Also the stash to PIG to FO ratio.)

With that, I think I'll wander back to what I've been doing for the last week - randomly picking at projects a seam, a row, a chapter, or a dabble at a time. (Which incidentally is why everything gets finished eventually. Some things just take longer than others if they can't hold my attention for more than a couple of minutes. Things that can interest me for more than that get finished proportionally faster. Level of interest on anything subject to change/demotion to dabbling/promotion to finishing without notice.)