Sweating As An Oldie

It was stupidly hot and humid this weekend, and is continuing today.  I feel like I sweated enough to solve the water problem in that town in India.  And I SWEAT - I do not glow, nor do I perspire - to quote a friend of mine, I "sweat like a mug."

Thankfully, my cuckoo clock bird didn't die of heatstroke, but this is pretty close to how I spent the weekend:

I only went outside when necessary - to walk the dog, who was also not interested in being out any longer than he had to be.  It was, as my mother liked to say, "hotter than Billy be d*mned."  I did accomplish some things around the house - kinds of things that need to get done, but are not really noticeable.  So I don't have any "before and after" photos to share.

Then this morning not only was the weather worse, but things didn't go well.  I didn't sleep well as a result of the miserable weather, and then as I was feeding the kitties their breakfast before Hamlet and I went out, he peed on the rug.  I felt bad, because he has a urinary tract infection, but that still meant having to clean it all up when I got back, and convincing him that he wasn't in trouble.

So I headed upstairs to get ready, feeling like I had just stepped out of the shower already, and when I went to wash my face, I noticed that my left eye was swollen and red, big time.  I put a cold washcloth over it, and then put eye drops in it, and tried to keep it closed until I left the house.  Which helped, so I hope by the end of the day, it will be back to looking normal.

After getting dressed, I went downstairs to fix breakfast, and broke a bowl when it slipped out of my hands.  So I cleaned that up, and then fixed my breakfast, which at least cooperated after that.  Brushed my teeth and headed to work.  

Then I got here, looking somewhat like this:

only to find out that the air conditioning is having issues.  They are working on it, but it is currently 82 degrees in my office, which is bad enough when you don't start out looking like the guy above!

It's like a Monday on steroids, I tell you!  Surely things can only go up from here.  I'll be grateful even if they don't head downwards any more ...

Here's hoping your day is going better than mine!

Now I'm Amused

Over the past few days, I've seen things posted on various social media that have amused me.  Since it's Three on Thursday, I thought I would share them.

I've seen this before, but I can't emphasize enough how much it still needs to be said!

This just made me laugh.  I will admit to being puzzled by pink camo.

Now I know why I'm always tired by the time I get home.

What about you?  Have you seen any things recently that made you laugh?

Bee-n Busy

Hooray for small and satisfying accomplishments!  I had a small goal for the weekend, and was able to accomplish it, and I love the results.  How nice that Tiny Needle Tuesday is here so I can share the finished body on my bee stitchery project.

I love it!  I was a bit dismayed that it is not perfectly symmetrical, but one of the entomologists at work told me that it is not uncommon in nature for bees to be asymmetrical, and that pleased me quite a bit.  

Now on to the other honeycombs to get the whole thing completed.  I can't wait to see it all blocked and in a frame.

I took a sick day today, since I had an echocardiogram and a stress test this morning at the cardiologist's office.  He had mentioned that I may want to do that, since I have some balance issues, and the stress test could cause some dizziness that could last for part of the day.  Turns out he was right and I'm glad I can be home where I can control my activity and surroundings better.  I got *really* dizzy at the stress test, and still feel a bit unsteady.  But since I'm at home I can sit and relax instead of having to go to work and jump in.

Hopefully by lunchtime I'll feel more with it and can take a walk with Hamlet (and don't worry I know when I can and can't do those things).  And since I'm going to be home, I think I'll fix some eggplant parmesan for dinner.  Usually during the week, dinners are simple and to the point, so it will be a treat to have something "fancy."  

Best of all?  Since I'm at home, I can read, knit, stitch - do whatever I like!

What? Monday??

It doesn't seem fair that it is Monday already - the weekend was good, but seemed to go by even more quickly than usual.  I think the really lovely weather may have had something to do with it ...

Friday night, I finished getting the yarn I wanted to use for a pair of socks untangled and while I was at it, wound it into 2 separate balls so that I can make my socks together (I knit one cuff, then the next;  then the leg, then the next, etc.).  I got everything together and ready to go for getting started.

I pulled out one of the first project bags I ever bought, and the little fishes just kill me!  It has a notions pouch that matches, and it all made me very happy.  :-)

Saturday was a nice day with all of us home and enjoying it.  The Tim, Hamlet, and I walked up to the Farmers' Market in the morning, and bought some apples and tomatoes.  We also got to pet a 4-month-old tricolor corgi puppy named Daisy, who was freaking adorable.  In the afternoon while everyone else napped, I sorted through some clothes to determine if they were going to become cleaning rags, or donated to those who might be able to use them.  We also watched "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" and it wasn't great, but it was good enough for our attention span.  By the end of the day, I had the cuffs knit for my socks (but failed to take a photo).

Sunday The Tim had to work during the day, so Hamlet and I took a super long walk in the late morning because it was just so nice outside, and for so long our walks have been short and to the point.  When we got home, he made a beeline for his water dish, then pretty much passed out for the rest of the day - I guess the combination of an especially long walk, going to the dog park on the way home, and all that fresh air wore him out)!  I spent most of the day doing some laundry and working on my stitching project and Cozy Squares of Memory Blanket, while watching some knitting podcasts, and later some TV.  We had a yummy dinner, courtesy of The Tim (he even made garlic breadsticks, which are just SO GOOD), and read for most of the evening.  When The Tim was ready to take Hamlet for his walk before we went to bed, he had a hard time getting him to go, and said to me, "You clearly wore him out, making him do the Bataan Death March" ... - yeah, he's a laff riot.

So here we are, getting another week started.  I gotta say, I had really hoped by this point in my life, I would be able to be thinking about retirement.  But sadly, that's not gonna be able to happen anytime soon, so I need to think of some new ways to keep my spirits up.  I like my job well enough, but the administration is awful, and my co-workers are less than enjoyable to be around for an entire day.   It's a good thing I always have a whole 'nother life happening in my head!

Here's hoping it will be a peaceful week for everyone, individually and even as a nation!

And Here You Go, a Friday FO!

Friday is upon us, and after this week, it is even more than usually welcome.  Plus, today I have an FO to share with you - seems like it's been a while!

I finished a pair of socks for myself.  You may recall that I had completed a single sock of the Georgia Socks pattern, and decided to move on to something else.  I was still wanting to make a pair of shortie summer socks, and as I said when finishing the first sock, I don't mind scrappy socks, just not changing yarns really frequently.

So I made myself a pair of shortie socks the way *I* wanted to do it.

As you can see in the photo, the heel on one of them has two different yarns, but since they are for me, I don't mind.  It's also far enough down on the heel that you won't see it when the socks are worn in shoes.

Project:  Watermelon and Mojito Shortie Socks

Pattern:  Vanilla shortie sock pattern of my own

Yarn:  Watermelon Self-Striping Yarn from Artistic Yarns by Abi; West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4-ply in Mojito; and the yellow and golden brown are from tiny remainders in my stash that I no longer can identify.  

Needles:  US size 1

Modifications:  Well, none since it is my pattern and I make it up as I go along ...

Notes:  I love the finished socks!  All of the yarn is leftovers from my stash, and the two main yarns are from two of my favorite pairs ever.  They seem extremely summery to me.  Originally, I was going to call them Watermelon, Mojito, and Lemonade Socks, but then I ran out of the yellow yarn (aka "Lemonade") so I adjusted my name for them.  

When I make pain vanilla shortie socks, I just knit 12-18 rounds of 2 x 2 ribbing, then an inch to 1.5 inches before starting the heel flap and gusset, and then just knit after that until they are the length I want and finish off the toe.  They generally go pretty quickly, and all of the pairs I've made like this are very comfy and well-fitting on my feet.  I seem to do best with the heel flap and gusset construction, at least of the options I have tried so far.

So I am very happy to have both another pair of finished socks, as well as an FO to share after what seems like a long time.  

*****

I started to wind the yarn for my next pair last night, and it was clear it was one that was not going to cooperate with the winder.  I have about 90% of it wound, and there is some more untangling left for tonight before I can even start thinking about next steps.  But I'm ready to start a new pair, so I'm determined to have the yarn bend to my will!

Now I just have to get through this workday without a) killing anyone, and b) going insane.  There's a better chance of "a" being easily accomplished because none of these people are worth doing time, if you get my drift.  ;-)

Happy weekend to all of you!