I Do Have Knitting. I Don't Have Photos.

I'm usually pretty good about taking in-progress photos of my knitting to post here.  So even though it takes me a while to finish a project, I can still document how I'm progressing (mostly for myself, but if you like the photos, more power to you).  Lately though, for whatever reason, the knitting has been going on, but the photos have not.

Well, OK, I have been taking some photos, but they are non-knitting screenshots from the TV:

The end of a Notre Dame football game, and a victory - YAY!

Two shots from the movie "Clash of the Titans" that I came across last night.  OMG this has to be one of the worst movies EVER!  You have to wonder why Burgess Meredith agreed to be in it - did he need the money to afford a sandwich??  And then of course the dramatic stylings of one Mr. Harry Hamlin (or as he is known at our house, Harry Hamhock)!  I posted these on Instagram and my friend Lisa commented "His face never got any smarter," and well, I had a good laugh at that.  I remember seeing this masterpiece in the theater and it was SO BAD, that I laughed my head off the whole time.  Which was a problem, because everyone else in the theater was taking it very seriously.  Which of course made it even funnier to me.  Wendy commented on Instagram that she saw it on a double feature with "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and I cannot wrap my brain around that combo.

So anyhow, I can *tell* you about my knitting for now, OK?  I'm at the heel of the second sock of a pair I was making and showed a few posts ago.  I am hoping to finish it by the end of the week, so I can start a pair of socks for The Tim as an anniversary gift.  It's doable, I just actually have to do it!

Then I am also working on this pattern (Ravelry link, beware if that's a problem) for my niece Liz.  Remember a while back when I showed you the photo of the very beginnings of the Hipster Shawl I was making for my niece Julie, who is a hipster?  Well, scrap that project.  I managed to get the crossed stitches OK, but oy there was a lot more going on in that pattern, and my brain had neither the available real estate nor the desire to continue, at least not now.  So I frogged the bit that I had, and switched projects and nieces, so to speak!  Actually, this makes sense, because last year I knit hats for Julie and her family for Christmas.  So I have decided that this year Liz and her family will get knitted gifts.  I'll make her this shawl, knit a Musselburgh hat (non-Ravelry link) for her husband Greg, and then a still-to-be-determined item for their son Zach.  I knit him a hat last year, so I was thinking fingerless gloves.  The idea there was that since he is a teenager, he might wear them, even if he doesn't wear gloves or mittens.  Of course, it's likely a moot point regardless what I knit for him, because he is a teenager, and I'm sure would rather have money or some other item that I know nothing about or can't afford.  I just figure for a few more years, he is stuck feeling like the kid in the movie "The Christmas Story" who gets the bunny/footie pajamas from his aunt, and his parents make him try them on.  But Zach is a good kiddo, so he will know it's the thought that counts.  😊

I also have a continuing saga of swatching for a sweater I would like to try.  It required a regular stockinette swatch, and a garter lace swatch.  I hit the nail on the head with the stockinette swatch, but not with the garter lace swatch.  So I tried again, and still no luck.  Then I realized that I had done both of the garter lace swatches with the wrong sized needles.  What a maroon!  So over the weekend I made sure to make a swatch with the correct size, and hopefully when it dries and I measure it, I'll be good to go.  Word to the wise - when you have issues with a swatch TWICE, you may want to be sure you are using the needle size indicated in the pattern.  Geez.

(OK, so at least that last link was to a photo related to knitting ... 😉)

Revealing

Well, as promised, today I will tell you the answers to the questions posed in my Ask Me Anything post last week.  I always enjoy these, because I like to learn little things about people, and most of the time, feel awkward asking the questions.  So I like to be prompted, and it seems some of you feel the same.

Dee wanted to know:

In a perfect situation (meaning you could afford it, you would have a job if you wanted one, family issues wouldn't be an issue, there was no pandemic crap to deal with, etc. ...), where would you live?

Good question.  To be honest, I really like where we are now in Philadelphia.  It's close to mountains, oceans, lakes, and forests.  There's all kinds of stuff to do if /when we want to, nearby and lots of it is free.  But I also think I would like living in New England or Canada.  Of course, I also always think it would be nice to live in Ireland, but I'm not certain I have what it takes to be a successful expat.  And I adore Puerto Rico, but the climate would kill me if I lived there all of the time.  Best to just visit, because I can deal with tropical weather when I'm on vacation ... 😀

sprite asked:

Do you have a favorite ice cream/frozen dessert? (Because summer refuses to leave us.)

First of all, it needs to be said that I have seldom met a dessert I didn't like.  But two particular faves have their origins at different ends of the state of Pennsylvania.  Growing up in WV, there was a dairy in Pittsburgh (Isaly's) that made a wonderful concoction called a Klondike bar - they are pretty much everywhere today, but back then they were only in that region of the country, and they were just a big block of vanilla ice cream coated with chocolate.  And I am guessing back then that they contained even more fat and other ingredients that made them wonderful than the mass market ones you get in the grocery store today.  And when we moved to Philadelphia, I was introduced to Rita's Water Ice gelato - a cup of frozen custard layered with your choice of water ice, and something that has never been successfully duplicated anywhere else I've traveled where they claim to have the same thing.  

And now if someone would bring me one of each I would be grateful.

Valerie had a question to really think about:

OK, here goes ... if you could meet a historical figure, who would it be and why?

To some extent, this changes regularly, even sometimes during any given day.  A lot of time, it's the people you would expect, and sometimes I find someone really obtuse that I decide to obsess over.  But I would love to ask Johann Gutenberg what he really thought about his printing press, and what he would imagine it would become/do/make possible/mean to people.  Because I think his answers would be completely different than what I would expect him to say.

Deb's question hit me hard:

I was inspired to do all the things I do because I had a great-grandmother who quilted, knitted, wove, and made a yellow tomato relish that my dad talked about his whole life.  Who inspired your creative self?

This hit me because when I tried to find an answer, there kinda sorta wasn't a single, personal one.  Neither of my parents were "creative" in the ways we are talking about.  All of my grandparents had died by the time I was born, so I have no idea what they might have contributed.  Oh, my mother learned needlepoint and became a counted cross-stich expert in her later years, when a cousin of hers taught her so she would have an activity she enjoyed since she was confined to a wheelchair.  But I was already married and out of the house then.  I think I was inspired by no one and everyone.  No one in my immediate circle of family and close friends did much of anything like the things we talked about.  My parents had friends who grew a large garden every summer and canned things; one of my mother's friends was a knitter and used to make lovely blankets for her grandchildren.  I think I saw/read (in novels) random people/characters who did these things that sounded interesting to me, and so when I could, I would try to do them or learn them.  I do have to say that my mom did show me how to do counted cross-stitch, so that is the only thing I do now with any real-life personal connection.

Kym asked me something that I immediately knew what my answer would be:

OK, Bridget ... what's your superpower?

Adaptability.  I find that I can adapt somewhat easily to nearly any situation I have ever experienced.  That is not to say that I am always happy about it, or not nervous/seething/whatever inside, but I adapt pretty easily on the outside.  I think this is because I had a somewhat tenuous childhood, where we moved A LOT, occasionally got farmed out to relatives, and were not that financially stable.  I had no choice but to go with the flow, so to speak.  It also provided me with Part B of my superpower, which is the ability to talk to anyone, anywhere, about anything.  My parents were extreme extroverts, and expected us to interact with others, regardless of personal preference.  As a result, I may not feel all that comfortable everywhere, but I can carry on a decent conversation.  The downside of this is that I am often stuck spending time with people who glom onto me because they have no one else to talk to; I have always been a particular favorite of older men who tell me their stories from World War II, and I can be in a room of a million people, and if a nun is at the other end of the room, you can be certain she will find me.  Superpowers are not always what they are cracked up to be ...

Kim wanted to find out:

If you could teach everyone in the world one skill, what would it be?

GAH.  Only one???  I'm gonna say, how to read and write and though you think those are two skills, I see them as two parts of a whole.  I believe that knowing how to read and write gives everyone all of the possibilities in the world.

OK, there you go - at least for this round!  Hopefully you found my answers acceptable, and if you did not, well, such is life.  Today on my way to work, I passed a woman wearing a sweatshirt that said, "Be Yourself. They'll Adjust."

That pretty much says it all.  

Enjoy the first weekend of fall - or if you are in the southern hemisphere, happy spring! 

First Full Day of Fall - YAY!!!

 

I wish this photo was mine, but alas it is not and I could not find any credit for it.  So if you know, please inform me so that I can give the credit below.  But is it not a wonderful depiction of fall?  Leaves, pumpkin, candle, walnuts, and KNITS!  

Thanks to everyone who enjoyed a walk down memory lane with me and commented - I was glad to know that so many of you enjoy that song as much as I do.  😊

Back to fall, which is just the best.  This is the time of year when cozy/hygge/comfort starts to really settle into my brain and my person.  So I thought maybe I would write a Three on Thursday post and let you know Three Things That Fall Means, at least in my universe.

1.  This is not cozy, does not involve food or drink, but it is perhaps the most practical, everyday thing that fall means to me that actually brings me real joy:  the start of cooler weather.  Which means that going forward, it might actually get cold enough long enough to KILL OFF THE MOSQUITOES!!  Praise the Lord!  As someone who is clearly listed as a five-star meal in the mosquito version of the Zagat diners' guide, the elimination of mosquitoes is something that brings me joy and makes an actual difference in my everyday existence.  

2.  Dryness.  Once fall arrives, unless I have been exercising, I can spend an entire day being dry, rather than walk around looking and feeling (without the benefits of) as if I just took a shower.  And I don't know about you, but I prefer feeling dry to feeling sweaty and damp.  Personally, I can always find a way to warm up, but at a certain point of being hot, there is no chance of actually cooling off for me.  So the arrival of fall gives me hope that the exhaustion of heat and/or humidity is soon to be on its way somewhere else, hopefully to someone who actually enjoys it.  I do ask myself often why I have to be alive during global warming, but at least at the moment, there are still actual seasons to be had and experienced.

3.  Early darkness.  Now I know this one is even less popular than my desire to avoid summer, but I'm being honest here.  I LOVE that in the fall, it starts to get dark early.  I love walking home from work, or walking the dog and being able to peek into house windows to see a glimpse of people's lives.  It always looks cozy. Plus, all of the street lights, twinkle lights in windows, candles, etc., are so much easier to see and enjoy.  To me, it's a sign cozy times have arrived.  Of course the funny thing is that I dearly love looking into others' houses, and get mad if they have curtains or blinds drawn; but of course *I* don't want people looking into MY house!  (They can't anyway, due to the way our house is, but you know what I mean.)  😀  Double Standards R Me, apparently.

So there you go.  Yes, I do enjoy the things that others enjoy about fall - food, drinks, decorations, holidays, etc. - but these three things are ones that I know others may not appreciate like I do, so I thought I'd share.

In any case, I hope the fall season is good to you, take care!

Do You Remember?

The 21st night of September?  (I finally remembered on the actual day!)

😉

Have a good one!

I'm Just Wondering

Maybe I'm the only person wondering about this, but do children have any chores they are expected to do these days?  The reason I'm wondering is because of a commercial I keep seeing for a grocery store chain that has online selection and pick up/delivery available.  The woman in the commercial is extolling the virtues of being able to have someone else do her shopping for her, and all she has to do is pick up the bags of groceries and put them in her car on her way home from work.  Later in the commercial, she is seen eating dinner with her husband and children, and mentions how the "grocery fairies" made her life so much easier.  Then she says "If only there were dishwasher faires."

Ahem, dumbass - you have a husband and kids.  Also, you have a DISHWASHER, which ostensibly means that none of those delicate flowers seated with you at the table would have to put their perfect hands into actual dishwater.  Is your husband unable to determine the complicated configuration of a dishwasher?  Are your children - who do not appear to be babies or toddlers - too precious for any type of household labor?  Or, are you - and I know so many people like this - a victim of your own self, because no one else knows how to do it "the right way," so only you can get things accomplished?

I did a Google Images search for "children's chores" and hundreds of images resulted - from chore charts, to templates for said charts, and of course the ever popular clipart examples like below, which shows these poor enslaved young people happily doing their assigned chores.  Clearly they have been brainwashed.

I mean, my parents were hardly strict at all, but we were expected to make our beds everyday, take turns washing the dishes (no dishwashers in our house until I was in high school!), and "other duties as assigned," so to speak when requested by my parents.  As we got older, we were expected to help with laundry, cleaning the house, and even some of the outside chores.  

Was it annoying?  Yeah, sometimes.  And of course, it NEVER seemed fair!  I mean, there were my parents coming home from working all day, fixing food for us to eat, and they expected US to do work??  

The Tim's background is pretty much the same.  He comes from a family with 5 kids, who are all fairly close in age, so they were all expected to do their share as well.

Having said all of that, I did used to have a work colleague who came in one day and said she was really unpopular at home.  She had decided that she'd  had enough, so she set a schedule for the family where each night someone was responsible for dinner after getting home from work, school, whatever.  Her kids were teenagers, and the rule was that if it was your turn to cook, you also did the cleaning up.  She said she told them that no meal had to be elaborate - hot dogs, grilled cheese, soup, etc. were all options because she realized that they may not really know much about how to cook.  

Fast forward to the second week.  I asked her how it was going.  She said, "Oh that's all done.  They didn't know what to do, and ___ (husband) wasn't doing things like I wanted anyway.  So it's back to just me cooking every day."  

Well,  you know what?  She's the only one to blame in that situation.

What about you?  Did you have chores/duties/jobs growing up?  I'm curious if most people experienced what I did, or if they didn't have to do anything in particular until they lived on their own as adults.

Here's Your Chance ...

Happy Friday!  I hope you will be able to have a wonderful weekend.  I am getting my hair cut tomorrow and so am happily looking forward to that.  No other specific plans, but it is my last weekend before a 5-day week back in our building at work starts again.  I would know that even if I didn't know it intellectually because my sleeping is terrible lately.  Oh well, I enjoyed sleeping well for the last 18 months, I'll adjust.  😧

As you can see from the image above, it's time for another round of Ask Me Anything!  You can add any questions that you have in the comments of this post, and next week on Friday, I'll write a post with the answers.  You really can ask anything you like - but I do reserve the right to not answer questions that I find in any way offensive or inappropriate.  Past experience has shown that no one ever asks anything that falls into that category, but I guess there is also a first time (though I hope not!).

Previous posts answering questions are here, here, and here, if you want to review what has already been revealed ... 

***

In other news, do you remember a while ago, I asked you to keep my nephew in your thoughts, because he was having some health issues?  Well, it was finally determined that the thing that was at the core of his problems was that he needs a double hip replacement.  He will be having the first one next Thursday, so we are hoping for a good result.  I feel pretty confident that he'll do well, because the operation is one that seems to be successful for those I know who have had it done.  He is motivated to do what the doctors tell him, so I know he'll do well with whatever physical therapy, etc., they throw at him.  He will be 52 years old on October 1st, so he's younger than a lot of people who have the surgery, but if it helps him, who cares?  I'm just glad that the problem has been pinpointed and is close to being treated.

So that's that.  I'll leave you with this cartoon, since we all deserve to smile at least once - on a Friday, especially.  Take care!

Glowing in the Dark

I thought I'd write a post for Unraveled Wednesday before I left for a dr appt.  I think I have *just* enough time.

So I have been reading a lot lately, and for the most part enjoying it.  I recently gave up on a book that so many others have liked, but hey that happens.  My current book is this one:

I am only a couple of chapters in, but so far it is keeping my attention.  Hopefully I'll want to keep reading, since I'm always annoyed when I decide to give up on a book - though at least now I know it's OK to do that!

Knitting-wise, I just finished the first sock of a pair, and am hoping that it's colorful enough ...

The Tim claims that I will glow in the dark when I wear these - he said I should save them for when the weather threatens a power outage.  😀  I'm really happy with how this one turned out, and especially pleased with my Shadow Wrap Heel, even though it is kinda wonky - but not bad for a first try!

Want to know what others are making and reading?  Head over to Kat's blog, following the link above and find out!

Perfection In One Day

First of all, thank you for your kind support and commisseration about my work situations in my last post.  Please be assured that everything that can be done has been done, even if to no avail.  Though I'm guessing that now you can appreciate more than ever why I am dreading next week, when we have to return to the building to work five days a week.  At least being at home some of the time gave me some space and a buffer.  Oh well

ANYWAY, the important thing here is to share some of our weekend with you.  This past weekend, both the NJ Sheep and Wool Festival and the Lehigh Valley Fiber Festival returned to in-person events.  I love going to the NJ one, but this year just didn't get myself together to go.  

Instead, since it sounded as if the weather would cooperate, The Tim and I planned an outing where Hamlet could join us.  So we got into the car and headed a bit northwest to the Andorra Meadow - about 20 minutes away on a Saturday with little traffic that early in the morning.  It's a little more than 2-mile trail that ends up in a meadow.  We hadn't been there before, so we were exploring as well.

Me to The Tim: We can tell people we went for a hike, and found some fungi(s).

The Tim: [crickets]

In any case, it was wonderful, and Hamlet had a great time!  For the whole time we were there, we ran into only two other people (and of course Hamlet made sure that they petted him).  It was perfect.

Apparently, the grasses were very tasty.  The Tim and I did not sample them, but Hamlet took his time doing a tasting all along the way.

In the photo above, Hamlet is right in front of a log that was blocking the trail and required one to go over it.  I went over first, and then Hamlet lept over it, "just like Lassie!" (OK, that's what we told him - in reality, I pulled, and The Tim pushed and lifted.)  Then The Tim joined us and we continued along.

I always love seeing little wild daisies like these:

And seeing these little berries pleased me!

This was in the meadow, where they had these little houses scattered all around.

Just look at that sky!  And if you saw these photos and didn't know where you were, who would think that less than a mile away was a major road with stores and houses?

On the way home, we passed a corner where one side of the street had a place called Pete's Pierogies, and the other side of the street had Murphy's Tavern.  We decided that was the best corner in town, since it would cover all of our needs ... 😊

The day finished up with some knitting and reading in the afternoon, and then The Tim made a pizza for dinner.  We watched some shows we'd recorded and just relaxed.  There aren't many days that are that perfect, but Saturday turned out to be one of them.

As we were walking around on such a lovely day, it struck me that it was the same kind of day that it was here on September 11, 2001 - a little bit cool, very sunny, and the kind of day that made you smile and believe that nothing could go wrong.  And it made me think once again how lucky I am to be able to still be here, enjoying those kinds of days, when so many never had that privilege, through no fault of their own.

Small Acts of Courage Shouldn't Be So Difficult

Before I say anything else, thank you so much for your very kind comments about my finished summer top!  It is one of my most favorite things I've ever made, and to say I'm thrilled with the result is an understatement.  When The Tim first saw it after it was finished and I tried it on, he said, "That looks great - it's like it was made for you!" and then about a minute later said, "Oh yeah ... it was.  Anyway."  Which made me laugh.  Thank you for taking the time time say you liked it.  😊

Today is Three on Thursday, so I have decided to participate.  And my topic is not knitting-related, but there you go.  You have likely noticed the title of this post - or if not, you have now.  I am going to talk about three small acts of courage - or lack thereof - from my recent experience, and why they should not be so hard for people.

1.  In a recent department meeting, I asked a question about something, and it started with the phrase, "Could you offer any ideas to why the committee decided ...," and our boss responded, and I quote: "Well, Bridget, maybe it's because none of them are as stupid as you are." I will admit to being shocked and struck dumb.  And my co-workers said ... nothing.  Now, moving beyond how it was inappropriate in the first place for him to say that, that fact that no one said ANYTHING at all, then or afterwards, is upsetting to say the least.  A friend was being generous and said that a) maybe they are afraid of him saying that to them, so they said nothing, and b) maybe they said nothing to me because they were embarrassed or felt bad.  All I can say is, if you are ever in a similar situation, please speak up somehow.  Anything at all said by anyone else would have made a difference to me.  (P.S. I have complained to HR, who have told me that since it was said and not in writing, there is not proof, so they cannot do anything.  So apparently my co-workers have blocked it out and when asked said nothing or that it never happened.)

2.  In a similar vein, at a department meeting yesterday, the boss said that he felt that none of us should attend monthly section meetings because "we don't need to spend an hour that way."  Then he said, "I am guessing none of you have an issue with that."  So I spoke up and said that I did, and it was valuable because it gave us a chance to interact with our colleagues in our section that we don't necessarily see or talk to otherwise.  By the end of the discussion, three out of four of us had said that we wanted to continue going to the meetings, because we found them useful and since attendance is voluntary anyway, anyone who doesn't want to go is not obliged to do so.  After which the boss said, never mind, we could attend if we chose to.  When the meeting was over, the other two people who talked thanked me, and said they would not have spoken up if I hadn't.  And I knew that he would probably be annoyed when I spoke, but I felt strongly we should be able to participate in the meetings, and knew that if I didn't speak up, no one else probably would.  There are four people (including me) in our department: one person NEVER wants to disagree with anyone or stand up for herself ever, one person is the favorite who can do no wrong whatever, one person is often the victim of his wrath, and depending how recent it has happened, either does speak up or not, and then there is me.  It's not easy for me to speak up, because at the most I have one other person who might offer support; also, I know that our boss is not overly fond of me.  But I strongly believe that if something matters to you, you should state your case, even if it might not be agreeable to the boss.

3.  Non-work-related (aren't you glad??), is my third example.  There is a neighbor on our street who is always calling out others for not sweeping their sidewalk, not putting their trash out "the right way," and/or so many other things that are in no way a problem for anyone else.  We do not, for example, have a homeowner's association that has specific rules.  Sure, the city wants trash in receptacles, not just strewn on the street or sidewalk, but this particular neighbor wants everyone to use a certain type of thing for it "so that it all matches."  (Because you know how trash collectors enjoy uniform looking trash.)  One of his big gripes is that people who don't live on our street park their cars on our street.  First of all, we live in the middle of the city.  In order to park at all and not get ticketed, you have to have a decal that you purchased from the city for your zone in order to park legally for more than a certain amount of time.  Needless to say, parking spaces can be difficult to find.  Sometimes the gods smile upon you, and you find a place on your street; sometimes you are three blocks away.  Anyway, this neighbor started a petition to take to the city to make it illegal to park on our street unless you lived there.  Everyone was talking about how ridiculous it was, and trying to avoid the guy altogether so they wouldn't "have" to sign it.  We had a block party a few weeks ago, and said neighbor brought the petition for everyone to sign.  At which point, The Tim - who seldom interacts with neighbors, much less speaks to them (but of course they all still think he is the "nice" one), told this neighbor why his petition was not a good idea.  Afterwards, no one was willing to sign the guy's petition, and though he left in a huff, everyone else kept complimenting The Tim for his "courage" in refusing to sign and saying why.

***

People, none of this should be that hard.  These are not life and death situations, these are situations where one person who is a bully is pushing their weight around and no one wants to speak up.  I understand why it is hard, but it shouldn't be.  With so much else going on in the world, and people being more than willing to speak out about the big stuff, why are the small acts of courage (it that is even what you can call them) so difficult?

Anyway, that is my rant o' the day.  I am not asking for sympathy nor congratulations, I'm just trying to point out that all of us should do our best to support each other when it can help or make a difference.  We all have to live and work together every day, regardless of how we feel personally about each other.  Wouldn't it be better if we could be more brave in small, everyday ways?  

If you have read this far, thank you for coming to my TED talk. 😉

Knitting Needles Tuesday - An FO Post

Hello all, and I hope you had a lovely Labor Day weekend.  Ours was nice, the weather was for the most part really pleasant - even the rain wasn't much and didn't ruin any of our plans, mostly because we had none.  The Tim had to work yesterday, but I got some projects of my own organized, and then fixed us a picnic dinner, so it was all good.

Do you remember seeing this just started WIP back in June?

If not, you probably do remember these photos:

Well, I'm happy to tell you that it is now an FO, with ends woven in, blocking completed, and ready to wear!

Project:  Blue Anker

Pattern:  Anker's Summer Shirt, by Petite Knit (Ravelry link)

Yarn:  Berrocco Farro, in the colorway Turquoise, 4.5 skeins

Needles:  US size 4 and 6

Modifications:  I added more stitches to the underarms, since sleeves always feel tight there to me in knitted items.  Then I decreased until I was where the sleeve pattern started, and went from there following the instructions.

Comments:  I completely love this top!  It fits the way I wanted it to fit, I just love the color, and even though it gave me fits with the 1 x 1 rib and the increases, it was all well worth it.  I think I'll get a lot of wear out of this not just a few more times this year, but a lot once the weather gets warm again next year.  Wearing this with a sweater or blazer over it, or a denim jacket, would be really comfy, as it is not bulky or heavy at all.

The yarn was a bit tricky to get used to, but other than occasionally being a little slippery-er than I would have liked, by the time I was a few inches in to the project, we were getting along just fine.  The pattern was straightforward, once you decided if you were following inches or centimeters!  There are a lot of sizes included, so I could see this being a pattern that would be really nice to use the Knit Companion feature where it shows your size only.  However, my printed pattern and highlighter worked just fine also.

I finished the knitting, weaving in, etc. last week, but was waiting for a time when the day was nice and The Tim was available to take a photo.  So Sunday afternoon, we went out on the deck.  I may have to find a new photographer, as you would have thought I had asked him to give me one of his kidneys, he was so put out by "having" to do this!  Then he was annoyed because I was squinting - but when the light is in your eyes, YOU try not to squint.  Anyway, I was pleased with how this photo turned out.

And oh that yoke!  It makes the 1 x 1 rib worthwhile (well, now that it's finished, at least).

Between that, a the fact that I am a sucker for anything turquoise, it couldn't have turned out better!

The Week That Was

Remember when life just went along, and sometimes you would think to yourself that it was all just kind of boring, and how come nothing interesting or exciting ever happened?  

I learned a while ago that a lot of the time, boring is good.  Because at least in my case, "interesting" or "exciting" was not what I had been talking about.  I mean, if one day you are just living your life, and you find out that you won a million dollars somehow - that's exciting!  But when you are just living your life and then you find out that, say, you need to have a dental implant that costs thousands of dollars - well, OK, no one asks for THAT kind of intersting or exciting.

And this week was good example of that, both locally and globally, if you ask me.  I mean:

• pandemic continues and numbers go back up
• the U.S. troops leave Afghanistan
• Texas decides you can carry a gun with no license and no training, but you can't wear a mask to school and women cannot get legal abortions
• Hurricane Ida cuts a swath of destruction in Louisiana and Mississippi
• Ida's remnants come up the East Coast and there are TORNADOES in the Philadelphia area and New Jersey; New York City shuts down because of TOO MUCH WATER EVERYWHERE

And those are just the things that immediately come to mind!  As someone on Twitter commented the other day: "I think I would have rather had the plague of locusts."

Fortunately, The Tim and I and the critters are all fine, if just somewhat inconvenienced.  We got a little bit of water in our basement, but we get a little bit of water in our basement whenever it even thinks about raining, so no big deal.  No wind damage, no loss of power.  

However, west and north of us in the city - not so much.

You know the Schuylkill River Trail, which is 2 blocks west of our house, where we walk/ride bikes/walk the dog sometimes?  Here's how it looked yesterday:

Do you see on the right of the photo where there is what looks like pipes and something pointing to the sky along them?  Well, that's the trail, and those things pointing towards the sky are the lights on the trail!  

To quote The Tim: "Looks like we won't be riding our bikes there this weekend."

And then, this image, which many of you may have seen on the news.  This is the Vine Street Expressway, which cuts across the city from east to west, and is a major link.  But yesterday it was more like the Vine Street Canal:

And that is about 5 blocks north of our house and below but right in front of the building where I work!

My friend Lisa, who owns Hidden River Yarns in the Manayunk neighborhood of the city, couldn't get to her shop to see how things were, but her landlord informed her that the street level part of the store (aka ALL THE YARN) was dry, but the basement was flooded.  Phew!  

And my other friend Jocelyn who is the owner of O-Wool, lives on a farm nearby in New Jersey, and they lost a couple of trees in a tornado, but are otherwise safe (as is her yarn supply!) - but the house nearest to them, about a mile away, was completely destroyed.

And those two are some of the luckiest ones!

Can we all agree now that it would be absolutely wonderful to go back to boring now??? 😉

I hope wherever you are, reading this, that you are safe, well, and healthy.  And that if you are not, that help is on its way.  Take care everyone, and for those of us here in the U.S., have the best kind of Labor Day weekend that you can - however you can!