Stalking the wild Asparagus... I mean yarn purchase

A short time ago, I pledged that I would NOT buy more yarn until at least the following were finished:

April Socks

Chocolate Cherry Socks - These will be the socks for May in Nancy Bush's Whitby pattern
Something in the Butter Peeps or Paris Nights yarn - this was a mental error, I didn't pack the Paris Nights, I packed the Handmaiden Mini in Ebony so consider this revised.

Wicked or TAOs Smokin. I actually got most of one Wicked sleeve done before spending time with Sir Frogsalot, buying different needles and now I am happy with how my sleeve is working out.
The five center reps of the Phoenix Rising. Yeah, this might be a problem child. I spent a little time away from this, still not happy with it. Still undecided. Still considering ripping and using the yarn for something else. Aaargh!

I am slowly closing in. Which is good because I saw the NordicStars by Candace Eisner-Strick and am really tempted to make this as a Warm winter sweater for me. It's even made of a relatively affordable yarn. As opposed to the Lopi that I am tempted to make myself whenever I wear TAOs cardigan.


And for those who remember today's Book Title, I was pleased to see new reprints from as late as 1988 were available.

Self Absorbed

So I'm thinking of taking the plunge....no, not marriage, silly...I'm going to get my hair cut by a hairdresser on Sunday. It's part of Aveda's Cuts for Clean Water campaign. And, I'm thinking of making the commitment - buying a blowdryer and a bottle of goop and getting a Style.

Currently I get my hair cut professionally about, oh, once a year - perhaps twice if PMS strikes at just the right moment. That means the rest of the time I just whack my bangs off when they poke me in the eye. That also means that my baby fine, ruler straight hair spends the majority of it's time clubbed back in various twists or ponytails. I have few hair rules but the two non-negotiables are: Not in Eyes, Not flopping around face. Important rules given that I spend the majority of my life in hospital gloves with ick on my hands, and look down at the bed, up to the screen, down to the bed, up to the keyboard, etc etc.

So when I decided to get it whacked off, the hunt for a good look comes into play. It can't be a pixie cut ala late 90's Winona, because TAO put his foot down about that a decade or so ago. Which leaves either a nice trim with some shaping and continued pull back, or some feminine cut in between that would be so short it couldn't flop forward and would not be able to club back (or catch in exercise equipment).

The later option would require commitment - get it cut regularly, keep it styled or look like the dutchBoy,no more washing at night and sleeping on it, put goop in hair, apply swirling warm air regularly. I feel vaguely overwhelmed.

So if you think I may be mature enough to handle this, kindly suggest some celebs that have good hair.

(PS - I loathe that look in which women over the age of twelve put barrettes in their hair smack at the sides of their heads, but would be open to the thought for workouts...maybe).

April, the cruelest month

Knitting was interrupted by a coupla days spent in the smallest room of the house. You know you're sick when you're too sick to knit.

However, I am still on track for April's Socks with:

One Sock, starting Two Sock. Sorta Red, Sorta Blue Sock.

Um yeah, it's been that sorta week.

Knitting is a Myna Bird

Phoenix Rising has a couple of little areas that make me reconsider my relationship with the project. Among these were a couple of wonky areas (tension issues) that I had concerns about visibility in the finished project. Do I rip back 40 rows? Do I risk it and get to the end and be crazy because of it? How about I semi block it now to see?

Hmmn still a little wonky. (No closeups to show). Secondary to that concern, is the small needle/silk thread issue. I am loose knitter. I knit to relax. I knit because you can't drink on call, and I never got into drugs. This project at this time is NOT relaxing.

Which leads to a conversation with myself about work and the next 40 years...

• Keep doing what I'm doing (just keep knitting this plan)
• Keep doing what I'm doing but at a slower pace/lesser level. (keep knitting a row a day)
• Do what I do now, but at a real job in one place (rip back and knit again)
• Do something else entirely. (knit this pattern in a different yarn)
• Pursue disability funds. (skip this whole project)
• Go knit and think about this again in 2010 when the plan has been worked (Set the shawl aside, knit something else to distract me and see how I feel about it in a few weeks/months)

And they call knitting a Hobby.

Slow and painful progress thy name is

Tiny needles and tiny silk thread combined with a chart, thereby rendering it non-portable knitting. Sigh.

On a brighter note I spent some tax refund money first to House that Yarn Built, and then yesterday at The Loopy Ewe. Which led to a little guilt. Not a lot, but a little. (I did donate more than I spent.)

Which tied in perfectly with something that one of my favourite authors, Larry Winget said in his newest book
You're Broke because you want to be.

As a digression...I'm not broke, we're not broke, it's not like that at all. It's just that growing up the way I did has given me an awareness of how these decisions are made daily, and it's nice to be kicked in the mental arse occasionally. It's also nice to hear some of the gaffes people make and realise it's been a long time since You Made That One. There were parts of his other book "Shut up Stop Whining and Get a Life" that made me laugh so hard I couldn't see. I do recommend the audio books, because he reads them. (I don't recommend his wardrobe.)

This morning (post Loopy Ewe glow) on the way into work, the audio book
was having you go through some exercises. Since I was driving, I did them negligently but did find myself making a mental list of projects that I have with me. This led to the following:

I hereby pledge that I will NOT buy more yarn until at least the following are finished.

• April Socks
• Chocolate Cherry Socks
• Something in the Butter Peeps or Paris Nights yarn
• Wicked or TAOs Smokin.
• The five center reps of the Phoenix Rising.

Because really, that's Enough.