Promises, Promises

I do really try to keep my promises.  Lots of time, though, to be honest, I completely forget that I promised anything to anyone, and then feel even worse when they ask me something about it ...

But, if you will recall, in the previous post, I mentioned that I blocked something besides the Lacy Garter Shawl (Ravelry link), and would save it for the next post.  And I have actually remembered that I said that, so here you are:

Yep, the Pickle Cardigan is now blocked! 

(I sure hope you were sitting down for that one ...)

Now, to sew it together, and knit the neck and buttonbands.  This will be a challenge for me on several levels: 1) My finishing skills suck, but I am determined to sew this together in a manner that looks, well, if not professional, like someone beyond the level of rank amateur; 2) I've never done a buttonband or buttonholes.  However, I think I will try to do the Tulips Buttonhole from a recent Knitting Daily post; and, 3) Er, looking at it, I'm now not so sure it will fit.  But I shall carry on, as I have not spent all of this time on it for nothing.  If I have to, I'll gift it to someone, and that would be OK too.

I must say that I am pleased with how nicely the pattern shows up when the pieces are blocked. 

In other news, yesterday we went to an open house at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine New Bolton Campus.  (Those of you who are horse-racing fans may remember that it is the place where Barbaro was taken after he was injured in the Preakness a few years back.)  Anyway, they wanted to show off a new facility for treatment of colic and other conditions of horses where they need extremely specialized care and isolation from other horses and animals.  It was really something, and I took some pictures.  If they turn out at all, I'll share them in another post down the road.  I love going out to New Bolton.  It's about 50 minutes from Center City Philadelphia, and is in a beautiful setting.  I like knowing that there is a place that takes the care of large animals - whether farm, show, or just pets - to heart, and will do what they can to help.  (I wish I could have become a veterinarian.  But when you barely pass basic science courses, you begin to realize pretty quickly that it just is.not.happening!)

Finally, much to my dismay and annoyance, I've decided to enable comment moderation here on Ye Olde Blogge.  I'm sick of getting comments in Chinese script with the occasional lewd term or sexual reference included in English.  This is not to say that a) I do not like Chinese script, or b) I want the whole lewd/sexual thing to be in English.  No, I'm going to do it, at least for a while, so I don't have to put up with it.  I really only seldom delete comments, and the times I've done it have usually been when it was clear that they were spam, or they were just obnoxiously rude for me to read, much less to subject anyone else to reading! 

And that's it.  Say goodnight, Gracie.