Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 1 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV)
I love yarn. It's a sickness really. The Yarn Studio in Casey is my Happy Place. Just walking in the door makes me feel better. It's weird, I know. How can one be so drawn to yarn? I have no idea, but I am. I love to pick them up and feel them. I love to imagine how they would look as a hat or mittens or a sock (that I would never finish). And that reminds me, sock yarn is sooooo eye-catching. I see the sock yarn table and it's all I can do to walk away empty-handed.
What brought me to this post - I was opening up an e-mail from some Knitting blog or shop or something I've signed up for telling me I could have a free trial subscription to a magazine and the cover this month was a big burly sheep. Ugh, why would you put a big burly sheep on the cover of a magazine that isn't about the farm? I started cracking up because then it hit me. Duh, I love that sheep. THAT ugly sheep is how I get to enjoy beautiful yarn!
Lane has been studying metamorphosis and I was helping him with his homework the other night. Imagine a caterpillar. They're not necessarily ugly, but I don't normally look at a caterpillar and think, wow, that is a beautiful caterpillar. When the caterpillar is full grown and stops eating, it becomes a pupa. There is absolutely nothing cute or pretty about the pupa. This pupa stage in the process can last a few weeks, a month or even longer. It may look like nothing happens during this stage, but major things are going on inside. And then suddenly, a beautiful butterfly appears.
It made me think of how God uses all of us for something. The good, the bad and even the ugly. The Christian band Gungor has a song called, "Beautiful Things" and part of the chorus is 'You make beautiful things, you make beautiful things out of us.'
So often we put too much stock in how someone or something appears on the outside. We like to see pretty, we love to touch soft, nice things...but sometimes even something ugly has the potential to transform into something absolutely beautiful and eye-catching. A transformation or metamorphosis has to occur within us to become that something beautiful. A heart for Jesus - is something beautiful no matter what the outward appearance.
"Beauty is skin deep, but ugliness goes clear to the bone." Ouch. How true that can be. There is a lot of ugliness in this world. It is our job as Christians to let our light shine that beauty He created within us onto the ugliness of this world.
There are times I can be as ugly as a big ole burly sheep, inside and out...but I know that he is still using me for good. I just need a little tune-up on the inside every now and then.
Or maybe I should've been a sheep, created to produce endless skeins of soft, gorgeous yarn. Sing with me now, I just want to be a Sheep, Baa, Baa...
Showing posts with label Knitting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Knitting. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Thursday, December 4, 2014
One lonely sole
In August I took a sock-knitting class. It was great. I jumped right in and finished my sock. It even looks pretty good...don't ya think?
And here is a picture of the second sock to the set...and it is
I was super stoked about knitting socks because everyone needs socks and lots of them...but here is my problem, one single sock takes forever. The yarn is teeny tiny and you use a small needle, which makes you knit and knit and knit for what seems like eternity, only to have half of a sock. I got bored. And still have only one single sock.
I do this a
Don't even get me started on my first blanket. That thing is taking an eternity. (It's a work in progress.) I have, however, finished my first pair of mittens and they were super easy and quick. (That's what I like.) I look forward to starting another pair, but I really must finish something else first...maybe.
I'm still obsessed with the knitting but have to pace myself a little for the sake of my hands, wrists and arms. I have tried to halt yarn purchases the last few months because, if you walk into my office right now (oh, wait, you can't) you would see that I have PLENTY of yarn.
Current problem is that sweet Moxie Mo, the beautiful bloodhound puppy, really, really likes my knitting too. She has ruined two different circular needs so far and will stop at nothing to get a ball of yarn...repeatedly...no matter where I put it. She is worse than the cats when it comes to the yarn!
But she is so sweet and lovable. I'll let it go...and buy another needle...and maybe some more yarn.
The upside to this - there are these brand new needles at the Yarn Studio called Rockets that are awesome. I know what you're thinking, how can a knitting needle be awesome? (I thought the same thing when "Diane" showed them to me.) Just trust me on this one. Maybe I should start leaving my other needles out for Moxie to happen upon.
I will finish that other sock. Some day it will happen. It would be silly to leave that one lonely sole.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Cigar Box Treasures
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| Assortment of DPN's |
I know, how awesome is that? She said to me, "I have this box of needles, but you probably already have the needles and don't need them." Mother, good heavens, no. Knitters always NEED more needles. Now, six months ago, I could've saved a good chunk of moola if this treasure trove had been discovered sooner, but I'm delighted nonetheless. I immediately used some of the #7 DPN's (ha, that is knitter lingo) on a hat I was making.
As I have told you, my Grandma Lynch was a knitter. She didn't go many places without her knitting bag and whatever project she was currently working on. I so wish she were alive and well and could visit the Yarn Studio with me. I think she would be in awe of the beautiful yarns on display. I'm a yarn snob now, so I've been told. I simply cannot bear to knit with cheap yarn. I don't like the feel of it on my fingers, I don't like the way it knits, I don't always like the finished product, etc. I don't think Grandma had access to all these fancy yarns.
The Yarn Studio gal tells me I'm a naturalist - I prefer the natural fibers. Hmm, I don't know why, but that made me feel kind of cool. And in the past when I thought of a naturalist, I imagined people running around naked, eating berries and gnawing on roots. Please don't misinterpret my words - I'm not that kind of naturalist.
Mom thought she had gotten rid of most of grandma's knitting supplies a long time ago. I'm sure we were all asked if we wanted anything, and I'm sure that at least I said no, as in no way, I'm never going to knit. Ha. You know the saying, Never say never.
Lane was digging through the box and its contents (unimpressed by the assortment of DPN's) and found a matchbook from my Grandma & Grandpa Lynch's 50th wedding anniversary party. He picks it up and asks what it is, I tell him and then he says, "Are they real matches? I mean, do they really work?" Funny. Yes, they sure do. And of course, he struck one immediately. He can hardly resist a fire.
Okay, now back to something that I was reminded of by the first main paragraph. If I ever became a famous knitter (shush - it could happen, you know), I would like my stuff to be under the name of Neadmore Knitting. Ha! Do you get it? If you're not a local, you may not realize that I live near the old Neadmore grocery store. I thought that was super clever and a wonderful play on words or pun or whatever. You know...Everyone needs more knitting!
Thursday, April 10, 2014
My new friends
Introducing my new friends! I ordered a three-pack of these dudes off eBay.
Jay was horrified because I ordered it under his name and now his profile will show that he ordered them! I hadn't thought of that, of course. I only wanted some fake heads to show off my hats and help block them in the drying process.
I'm pretty sure there is more weirdness out there than Jay buying three Styrofoam heads. His poor image. Hey, shouldn't I be the one that is worried? Ha.
I've known all along that I have a large head, but really, whose head is this skinny (besides Jay)? Most of the hats I put on here, hang low...but it works. They show off child-size hats real well.
My daughter, and most likely the rest of the family, think I've lost my mind. Now that I'm on a knitting break, I keep asking myself, "What did I do before knitting took over my life?" I feel lost or something in the evening. I don't know what to do with myself sometimes.
Thankfully, the spring weather is upon us and we'll return to the days of coming inside just in time for bed. There won't be time for knitting (boo-hoo) anyway or whining about the fact that I cannot knit obsessively...to my new friends, the only ones who will listen, my complaints falling on deaf ears...
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| Vanna White wannabe? |
Jay was horrified because I ordered it under his name and now his profile will show that he ordered them! I hadn't thought of that, of course. I only wanted some fake heads to show off my hats and help block them in the drying process.
I'm pretty sure there is more weirdness out there than Jay buying three Styrofoam heads. His poor image. Hey, shouldn't I be the one that is worried? Ha.
I've known all along that I have a large head, but really, whose head is this skinny (besides Jay)? Most of the hats I put on here, hang low...but it works. They show off child-size hats real well.
My daughter, and most likely the rest of the family, think I've lost my mind. Now that I'm on a knitting break, I keep asking myself, "What did I do before knitting took over my life?" I feel lost or something in the evening. I don't know what to do with myself sometimes.
Thankfully, the spring weather is upon us and we'll return to the days of coming inside just in time for bed. There won't be time for knitting (boo-hoo) anyway or whining about the fact that I cannot knit obsessively...to my new friends, the only ones who will listen, my complaints falling on deaf ears...
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Revelation #332
Like a city whose walls are broken through
is a person who lacks self-control. Proverbs 25:28 (NIV)
While perusing through hundreds of knitting patterns today, I had a revelation: Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
I could hear Jay saying this to me...as an example...just because you can knit doesn't mean that everyone wants something you've knitted. He's not being mean. He's being honest. There are lots of items out there I could knit, but wowza - some of them are way out there.
Just a few days ago, my daughter posted a picture of me on Facebook holding one of my new knitting tools - a Styrofoam head. I commented on the picture that I was going to knit her prom dress and it should be done in about three years. Of course, I was joking (for the most part - I would never do such a thing - most likely), but it occurred to me today when I was seeing some real random knitting patterns - I could actually knit Madolyn a prom dress. I have no doubt I could figure it out, and in three years, have a completed dress (and who knows, in three years, a knitted formal could be 'in'), but I'm not planning on it.
Another silly example is the cartwheel. A few years ago, I was watching Madolyn do gymnastics tricks in the house and I decided to show her my stuff. Good-ness. Not. A. Good. Idea. At. All. Not only were my muscles out of shape, my equilibrium was/is way off. It nearly wiped me out. I did the cartwheel...but I should not have and don't plan to try it again anytime soon. Silly. I paid for that one for a few days.
Many, many times I have started to reply to someone either by e-mail or on Facebook, I've had the right answer (mine, of course) typed out that would solve all things, big or small...and then I deleted it. Yes, I think my solution is correct...but someone else may not.
The same is true when I hear or read something I know to be false or somewhat misleading...based on knowledge acquired through my work. Just last week, I had to say to a friend, "I can't really comment on that." Oh, I could have and wanted to, but I'm not supposed to. And there is a very fine line, I've discovered unfortunately, between me voicing my personal opinion about a situation, and someone assuming that I'm spewing facts from the courtroom. It can be very tricky. I have to really think about what I say before I say it (or try to hopefully). I've even found myself thinking, it's not fair that I can't say what I want to say for fear someone else may think I'm divulging privileged information...but it is what it is. And really, most of it boils down to that g word we hate - gossip - anyway so it's best left unsaid, regardless. It goes back to the same principle - just because I can doesn't mean I should.
I have tried many times in my life to use the I-can-if-I-want-to philosophy...and it never seems to work out. Immediately coming to mind is eating an entire package of Oreo's, Thin Mint's, an entire sheet cake, staying up into the wee hours of the morning to knit, read or watch movies, etc. It may be good at the time, but the consequence is not so enjoyable.
I could go on and on with serious and silly examples of where this revelation comes into play. We might raise Alpacas and Llamas some day..yes, then I could learn to spin the wool into beautiful yarn. Theoretically, we could...but it doesn't mean we have to.
is a person who lacks self-control. Proverbs 25:28 (NIV)
While perusing through hundreds of knitting patterns today, I had a revelation: Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
I could hear Jay saying this to me...as an example...just because you can knit doesn't mean that everyone wants something you've knitted. He's not being mean. He's being honest. There are lots of items out there I could knit, but wowza - some of them are way out there.
Just a few days ago, my daughter posted a picture of me on Facebook holding one of my new knitting tools - a Styrofoam head. I commented on the picture that I was going to knit her prom dress and it should be done in about three years. Of course, I was joking (for the most part - I would never do such a thing - most likely), but it occurred to me today when I was seeing some real random knitting patterns - I could actually knit Madolyn a prom dress. I have no doubt I could figure it out, and in three years, have a completed dress (and who knows, in three years, a knitted formal could be 'in'), but I'm not planning on it.
Another silly example is the cartwheel. A few years ago, I was watching Madolyn do gymnastics tricks in the house and I decided to show her my stuff. Good-ness. Not. A. Good. Idea. At. All. Not only were my muscles out of shape, my equilibrium was/is way off. It nearly wiped me out. I did the cartwheel...but I should not have and don't plan to try it again anytime soon. Silly. I paid for that one for a few days.
Many, many times I have started to reply to someone either by e-mail or on Facebook, I've had the right answer (mine, of course) typed out that would solve all things, big or small...and then I deleted it. Yes, I think my solution is correct...but someone else may not.
The same is true when I hear or read something I know to be false or somewhat misleading...based on knowledge acquired through my work. Just last week, I had to say to a friend, "I can't really comment on that." Oh, I could have and wanted to, but I'm not supposed to. And there is a very fine line, I've discovered unfortunately, between me voicing my personal opinion about a situation, and someone assuming that I'm spewing facts from the courtroom. It can be very tricky. I have to really think about what I say before I say it (or try to hopefully). I've even found myself thinking, it's not fair that I can't say what I want to say for fear someone else may think I'm divulging privileged information...but it is what it is. And really, most of it boils down to that g word we hate - gossip - anyway so it's best left unsaid, regardless. It goes back to the same principle - just because I can doesn't mean I should.
I have tried many times in my life to use the I-can-if-I-want-to philosophy...and it never seems to work out. Immediately coming to mind is eating an entire package of Oreo's, Thin Mint's, an entire sheet cake, staying up into the wee hours of the morning to knit, read or watch movies, etc. It may be good at the time, but the consequence is not so enjoyable.
I could go on and on with serious and silly examples of where this revelation comes into play. We might raise Alpacas and Llamas some day..yes, then I could learn to spin the wool into beautiful yarn. Theoretically, we could...but it doesn't mean we have to.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Too much tingle
It is with a heavy heart, sore wrists and tingly arms that I write this, I must stop knitting for a while...hopefully, it is temporary and the damage can repair itself. After fighting sore wrists and tingly, numb arms for several weeks, I broke down and went to the King. I was never a believer in chiropractors until I was desperate a few years ago and a couple visits to him fixed me right up. He isn't one who strings you along, he tells you like it is and that's that. I value his opinion and he has a good reputation. The one sure test for carpal tunnel I failed on both wrists. It's not serious or anything yet, but I need to get a grip.
It's a combination of things, of course, it's not just the knitting (right? Please, say no!). I sit a lot in one position for long periods of time. My head is usually down or tilted downward and it puts a lot of pressure on my neck, which is causing me fits. I don't think that ergonomically the desk set-up I inherited (although very nice) is good for me either. I hate to complain about my very lush office (it is to me) and probably won't...so today I have raised my keyboard higher and will try very hard to sit up straight in this very big chair. And if you happen to drop by my office today, you might find me staring at the ceiling to keep my neck up and not down.
I'm a stomach sleeper. I told you about my magic towel curing me last fall, remember? Well, my neck quit hurting so bad and I got rid of that towel in my bed, but the King says to put it back. Quit sleeping on my stomach. Ugh. I like to put my hands and arms above my head when I sleep...and they are falling asleep and numb when I wake up.
Last night when I got home, I took all my knitting projects and yarn paraphernalia (which is strewn all over the place) and put them in the office. I must not even be tempted to finish the brim on that hat that will only take me an hour. I told my kids and the youth group, if I was a crier, I would've cried. It's not the end of the world or anything, but I really love knitting. It's too bad I can't just sit at home and be a professional knitter (one of my youth group girls said I looked like a competitive knitter last week:) The fact of the matter is I need to keep my job, so I need to get my priorities in line...plus, it's affecting my sleep and things like just driving the car.
Moderation is what always trips me up. Stupid Moderation. Who wants to knit just once a month? Not obsessive Sarah. Every spare minute of the day may have been overkill, but I thought it was harmless. Snap.
So say a prayer for me and my arms/wrists as I try to give them a break, sit up straighter, sleep on my side or back (puke) and hold my head high. If you see me and think I'm trying to stick my nose in the air and push my chest out, know that I'm doing whatever it takes to get back to my beloved yarn.
It's a combination of things, of course, it's not just the knitting (right? Please, say no!). I sit a lot in one position for long periods of time. My head is usually down or tilted downward and it puts a lot of pressure on my neck, which is causing me fits. I don't think that ergonomically the desk set-up I inherited (although very nice) is good for me either. I hate to complain about my very lush office (it is to me) and probably won't...so today I have raised my keyboard higher and will try very hard to sit up straight in this very big chair. And if you happen to drop by my office today, you might find me staring at the ceiling to keep my neck up and not down.
I'm a stomach sleeper. I told you about my magic towel curing me last fall, remember? Well, my neck quit hurting so bad and I got rid of that towel in my bed, but the King says to put it back. Quit sleeping on my stomach. Ugh. I like to put my hands and arms above my head when I sleep...and they are falling asleep and numb when I wake up.
Last night when I got home, I took all my knitting projects and yarn paraphernalia (which is strewn all over the place) and put them in the office. I must not even be tempted to finish the brim on that hat that will only take me an hour. I told my kids and the youth group, if I was a crier, I would've cried. It's not the end of the world or anything, but I really love knitting. It's too bad I can't just sit at home and be a professional knitter (one of my youth group girls said I looked like a competitive knitter last week:) The fact of the matter is I need to keep my job, so I need to get my priorities in line...plus, it's affecting my sleep and things like just driving the car.
Moderation is what always trips me up. Stupid Moderation. Who wants to knit just once a month? Not obsessive Sarah. Every spare minute of the day may have been overkill, but I thought it was harmless. Snap.
So say a prayer for me and my arms/wrists as I try to give them a break, sit up straighter, sleep on my side or back (puke) and hold my head high. If you see me and think I'm trying to stick my nose in the air and push my chest out, know that I'm doing whatever it takes to get back to my beloved yarn.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Knitter's ADD
I have no idea if such a thing exists...and I suppose if I googled it, I would find out. Maybe I will. Maybe I don't want to know. I'm pretty sure I'm a sufferer regardless.
We all know I have a knitting addiction...and I have moved on into another level of that addiction...Attention Deficit Disorder. I find myself starting lots of projects, getting bored or seeing something new and cute, dropping the first project and beginning the second...only to, once again, find myself bored and have someone ask me to make something - bang, I've moved on again...thereby creating a small collection of unfinished knitting projects.
I started my first pair of finger-less gloves way, way back. I want to say I started them in October. I know. It's shameful. I finished one glove with a little help from my friends...started the second and it remains in a little gift bag waiting for me to wrap it up. You don't even want to know how close I am to finishing it. My problem: I forgot what I learned to do the thumb and will have to ask for help to finish it and I just don't really want to. Partly because, I have since moved on. If I would just take an hour out of my life and work on it, they would be done. Maybe even less than one hour. Silliness.
I love making hats. And I think I like them because they're quick. I remember when I first started knitting, of course, all I could knit was a scarf. Nice straight lines that could go on and on and on forever. Then I learned how very simple it was to make a hat and jumped right into the Fair Isle patterns, which are somewhat difficult, but challenging and beautiful. They are, by far, my favorite type of hat to make. I like mixing the colors and following charts. (Wow, that sounds weird.)
After making plenty of hats and a few cowls or infinity scarves (which, again, I like because they're pretty quick), I forced myself to transition back to scarves...after all, it is Spring (sort of) and people won't be wearing wool caps and beanies (well, in theory we shouldn't be) anymore. Oh my goodness, scarves are sooooo boring. I found some real cute holey patterns that look springy and I did finally complete two...but I won't even tell you how many I started and pulled back out because I got bored with it, found a mistake that I wouldn't let slide, found a new cuter pattern, etc.
I had someone ask me to make a couple chemo hats recently, so I had to, of course, stop the scarf I was working on and dig into the hat. (By the way, that is not a complaint, I love making specific things for people.) I can always come back to that pesky scarf.
If my memory is correct, at the present time, I have one cowl, two scarves, a finger-less glove and two hats in my exclusive, unfinished project pile. It is pitiful that I can't just finish one thing before I start another. This has always been a problem of mine. Re: scrapbooking, photo albums, flower beds...please don't make me go on.
The same could be said for yarn. (Yarn ADD?) I walk into the yarn store for specific yarn, see all those beautiful colors and fibers...and oh my word. I fall apart. What did I come in here to buy anyway? Hmm. Oh well, I'll just get some of this and some of that. And guess what? I never have what I need. My family begs to differ.
So I'm challenging myself to (starting next week, of course) finish projects before starting new ones, and use up some of the yarn I have at home - even if I'm making cold-weather hats for next year - because it's out of control...just a little. Now, if I get requests, I must do what the people want...which may require me to stop whatever I'm doing and buy new beautiful yarn.
We all know I have a knitting addiction...and I have moved on into another level of that addiction...Attention Deficit Disorder. I find myself starting lots of projects, getting bored or seeing something new and cute, dropping the first project and beginning the second...only to, once again, find myself bored and have someone ask me to make something - bang, I've moved on again...thereby creating a small collection of unfinished knitting projects.
I started my first pair of finger-less gloves way, way back. I want to say I started them in October. I know. It's shameful. I finished one glove with a little help from my friends...started the second and it remains in a little gift bag waiting for me to wrap it up. You don't even want to know how close I am to finishing it. My problem: I forgot what I learned to do the thumb and will have to ask for help to finish it and I just don't really want to. Partly because, I have since moved on. If I would just take an hour out of my life and work on it, they would be done. Maybe even less than one hour. Silliness.
I love making hats. And I think I like them because they're quick. I remember when I first started knitting, of course, all I could knit was a scarf. Nice straight lines that could go on and on and on forever. Then I learned how very simple it was to make a hat and jumped right into the Fair Isle patterns, which are somewhat difficult, but challenging and beautiful. They are, by far, my favorite type of hat to make. I like mixing the colors and following charts. (Wow, that sounds weird.)
After making plenty of hats and a few cowls or infinity scarves (which, again, I like because they're pretty quick), I forced myself to transition back to scarves...after all, it is Spring (sort of) and people won't be wearing wool caps and beanies (well, in theory we shouldn't be) anymore. Oh my goodness, scarves are sooooo boring. I found some real cute holey patterns that look springy and I did finally complete two...but I won't even tell you how many I started and pulled back out because I got bored with it, found a mistake that I wouldn't let slide, found a new cuter pattern, etc.
I had someone ask me to make a couple chemo hats recently, so I had to, of course, stop the scarf I was working on and dig into the hat. (By the way, that is not a complaint, I love making specific things for people.) I can always come back to that pesky scarf.
If my memory is correct, at the present time, I have one cowl, two scarves, a finger-less glove and two hats in my exclusive, unfinished project pile. It is pitiful that I can't just finish one thing before I start another. This has always been a problem of mine. Re: scrapbooking, photo albums, flower beds...please don't make me go on.
The same could be said for yarn. (Yarn ADD?) I walk into the yarn store for specific yarn, see all those beautiful colors and fibers...and oh my word. I fall apart. What did I come in here to buy anyway? Hmm. Oh well, I'll just get some of this and some of that. And guess what? I never have what I need. My family begs to differ.
So I'm challenging myself to (starting next week, of course) finish projects before starting new ones, and use up some of the yarn I have at home - even if I'm making cold-weather hats for next year - because it's out of control...just a little. Now, if I get requests, I must do what the people want...which may require me to stop whatever I'm doing and buy new beautiful yarn.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
An Adventure all right.
This past weekend, Jay participated in a Planet Adventure Trail Run at a state park in Indianapolis. Last year he ran the quarter (that would be 1/4 of a full marathon, just over 6 miles), and this year he did the half (13.1 miles), which was the furthest he's ever run before. That right there is a pretty good accomplishment to me, but the adventurous part of this run is that it is run through the woods on trails and there was anywhere from 8-10 inches of snow on most parts of it, along with batches of ice. No joke. Oh, and it's at night so you have to wear a headlamp, and it was 21 degrees.
After watching a game of volleyball, and then a game of basketball, we headed east. We were doing fine on time and the roads were good, although it had snowed some the night before. I was able to knit the entire way (yeah me). We missed our exit right off the bat, and Jay drove to the next one to turn around. We exit, meet a police car and Jay says, "I didn't like the way that cop looked at me." We drive on, turn around (possibly breaking a traffic law) and get back on the highway to go back to the exit we needed. We are doing okay on time, no panic, no major stress of missing the exit.
We nearly miss the exit again, but Jay whips it over and gets off the highway. We're driving along through a semi-residential area and Jay say, "I think I'm being pulled over." We were dumbfounded. It has been a good five to seven minutes since we met that police car. But lo and behold, the sparkly lights were twinkling in the rear-view. Again, we're still calm...but I am thinking, crap, they saw that traffic infraction back there when we turned around, that has to be it.
So we pull over, I keep knitting my fuchsia pink hat and the guy walks up on my side of the car. The guy calmly asks what we are doing, we tell him we're going to a race, assuming he is familiar with it. (You know because if there is anything going on in Martinsville, everyone knows about it...in Indianapolis, not so much.) He doesn't seem to have any knowledge of what we're talking about.
He tells us that Jay gave him a funny look when he met us way back there, to which I explained that we thought the same thing, only that he had given Jay a weird look, he saw we were from Illinois and wondered what we were up to. Hmm, odd. Okay. He then says that Jay was speeding on the highway, which is possible, although we were going with the flow. Jay hands him his license. He does a quick glance over and hands it back. All the while, I'm waiting for the big one - I saw you run that red light back there (hypothetically speaking, of course), but it never comes. He says he just felt like he had to follow up on that suspicious-looking driver and he walked away.
He was very, very friendly. We didn't feel harassed or anything, and I remained oddly calm the entire time. (It's the knitting, it's calming I tell ya.) It was a little strange though. And to finish off that fiasco, we had taken the wrong turn again. Fortunately, Jay didn't seemed rattled either. We had allowed for plenty of time and I knew we would find it eventually...and we did with lots of time to spare.
We parked, Jay got warmed up and jumped in with the mix of runners. They took off and I found the line for the porta-pot. I got talking to the gal next to me and got sidetracked (I know, I know), I turned around and saw green on one of the doors and rushed over and threw it open...to find a man standing there. Of course, I screamed, apologized and got back in line. Hey, the little lever thingy wasn't flipped to red, how was I supposed to know?
My favorite funny of the night - the announcer said there wouldn't be any chili served after the race because they couldn't meet the health department requirement on food temperatures. Instead, they had 80 dozen Dunkin' Donuts, hot chocolate and coffee for the runners. Last year, I thought it was odd that they would offer chili because the last thing I would feel like eating after running even a half mile would be chili. A donut sounds much more appealing.
There were 448 people who participated in this race. The biggest group was the quarter-marathon bunch. Although Jay started out with about 450 people, his group of half-marathoners consisted of 141 people. I'm proud to say that Jay finished third in his age group 30-39 (male) with a time of 2:18:33. On a paved road, he would have easily finished in under 2 hours, but this is nothing like a road race. There were places he would get off the trail to pass people and be in snow knee-deep. Sounds wonderful, huh?
We had reservations at a Brazilian Steakhouse for 8:00 our time. Jay crossed the finish line at about 7:18. He grabbed his medal and I got him to hold still for a finish photo and we made a dash for the car. Would you believe we were checked into our hotel and delivered to the restaurant via taxi by 8:15? For me, that part of the night was my marathon. Haha. Normally, one should have a proper 'cool down' after a race, but Jay was a trooper. I think his legs shook underneath the table all through supper. (He knows how I feel about food - and it was so late;)
Sometimes I wonder about this guy, but, hey, I had a great Valentine's Weekend with him and he ran a great race. We didn't get a traffic ticket, and I got to go to Target. What more could I ask for?
After watching a game of volleyball, and then a game of basketball, we headed east. We were doing fine on time and the roads were good, although it had snowed some the night before. I was able to knit the entire way (yeah me). We missed our exit right off the bat, and Jay drove to the next one to turn around. We exit, meet a police car and Jay says, "I didn't like the way that cop looked at me." We drive on, turn around (possibly breaking a traffic law) and get back on the highway to go back to the exit we needed. We are doing okay on time, no panic, no major stress of missing the exit.
We nearly miss the exit again, but Jay whips it over and gets off the highway. We're driving along through a semi-residential area and Jay say, "I think I'm being pulled over." We were dumbfounded. It has been a good five to seven minutes since we met that police car. But lo and behold, the sparkly lights were twinkling in the rear-view. Again, we're still calm...but I am thinking, crap, they saw that traffic infraction back there when we turned around, that has to be it.
So we pull over, I keep knitting my fuchsia pink hat and the guy walks up on my side of the car. The guy calmly asks what we are doing, we tell him we're going to a race, assuming he is familiar with it. (You know because if there is anything going on in Martinsville, everyone knows about it...in Indianapolis, not so much.) He doesn't seem to have any knowledge of what we're talking about.
He tells us that Jay gave him a funny look when he met us way back there, to which I explained that we thought the same thing, only that he had given Jay a weird look, he saw we were from Illinois and wondered what we were up to. Hmm, odd. Okay. He then says that Jay was speeding on the highway, which is possible, although we were going with the flow. Jay hands him his license. He does a quick glance over and hands it back. All the while, I'm waiting for the big one - I saw you run that red light back there (hypothetically speaking, of course), but it never comes. He says he just felt like he had to follow up on that suspicious-looking driver and he walked away.
He was very, very friendly. We didn't feel harassed or anything, and I remained oddly calm the entire time. (It's the knitting, it's calming I tell ya.) It was a little strange though. And to finish off that fiasco, we had taken the wrong turn again. Fortunately, Jay didn't seemed rattled either. We had allowed for plenty of time and I knew we would find it eventually...and we did with lots of time to spare.
We parked, Jay got warmed up and jumped in with the mix of runners. They took off and I found the line for the porta-pot. I got talking to the gal next to me and got sidetracked (I know, I know), I turned around and saw green on one of the doors and rushed over and threw it open...to find a man standing there. Of course, I screamed, apologized and got back in line. Hey, the little lever thingy wasn't flipped to red, how was I supposed to know?
My favorite funny of the night - the announcer said there wouldn't be any chili served after the race because they couldn't meet the health department requirement on food temperatures. Instead, they had 80 dozen Dunkin' Donuts, hot chocolate and coffee for the runners. Last year, I thought it was odd that they would offer chili because the last thing I would feel like eating after running even a half mile would be chili. A donut sounds much more appealing.
 |
| Nice finish sign, huh, right on the garbage. |
There were 448 people who participated in this race. The biggest group was the quarter-marathon bunch. Although Jay started out with about 450 people, his group of half-marathoners consisted of 141 people. I'm proud to say that Jay finished third in his age group 30-39 (male) with a time of 2:18:33. On a paved road, he would have easily finished in under 2 hours, but this is nothing like a road race. There were places he would get off the trail to pass people and be in snow knee-deep. Sounds wonderful, huh?
We had reservations at a Brazilian Steakhouse for 8:00 our time. Jay crossed the finish line at about 7:18. He grabbed his medal and I got him to hold still for a finish photo and we made a dash for the car. Would you believe we were checked into our hotel and delivered to the restaurant via taxi by 8:15? For me, that part of the night was my marathon. Haha. Normally, one should have a proper 'cool down' after a race, but Jay was a trooper. I think his legs shook underneath the table all through supper. (He knows how I feel about food - and it was so late;)
Sometimes I wonder about this guy, but, hey, I had a great Valentine's Weekend with him and he ran a great race. We didn't get a traffic ticket, and I got to go to Target. What more could I ask for?
Thursday, January 23, 2014
It's possible...
I don't believe I ever thought I would say this, but I would love to have a little "cabin fever" right now. I keep seeing these knitting posts about projects to knit to cure cabin fever, etc. And I laugh. Oh, how I wish I could do nothing but knit. It's possible that sometimes I do...
I say that as if I don't already put everything on the back burner to knit. It is quite possible that my son complaining about not having any socks is what forces me to do a load of laundry. It is possible that suppertime will come and go and it hits me that my children haven't eaten real food. (Hypothetically speaking, of course.)
My daughter has now banned me from knitting at her volleyball games. What?! I have been taking it to the basketball games and it helps me focus on something other than the game so much...and this habit I have of yelling like a cheerleader. It doesn't necessarily cure the whole problem, but I think it helps.
Have you been to a volleyball game? Do you know how long the warm-up takes?! It's about a half hour in between games. That is 30 minutes that I could be knitting. She says it embarrasses her. Hmm. Last year I took my Nookbook and read. I guess I really don't see what the difference is. I told her I would honor her request at volleyball games this year...but I did take a hat to the basketball game last Saturday and I did accomplish quite a bit...while yelling just a little. One of our youth kids yelled down at me that I needed to pay attention to the game and quit knitting. Obviously he wasn't paying attention because I had been yelling 'words of encouragement' on every possession...and even in between. Yes, it's possible to knit and watch a ball game.
It's possible that I have a small obsession with yarn and patterns. Thankfully, I have a better half that isn't about to say anything about that little obsession (right?)...at least until it gets way out of hand...and we aren't even close to that level...yet. The kids are old enough to gather nuts and berries. Socks can be worn two+ days maybe. And my daughter won't really die of embarrassment if I'm in the bleachers knitting.
Hey, if the ship goes down, I can always sell hats, cowls, scarves and ear warmers. It's possible I will have plenty.
I say that as if I don't already put everything on the back burner to knit. It is quite possible that my son complaining about not having any socks is what forces me to do a load of laundry. It is possible that suppertime will come and go and it hits me that my children haven't eaten real food. (Hypothetically speaking, of course.)
My daughter has now banned me from knitting at her volleyball games. What?! I have been taking it to the basketball games and it helps me focus on something other than the game so much...and this habit I have of yelling like a cheerleader. It doesn't necessarily cure the whole problem, but I think it helps.
Have you been to a volleyball game? Do you know how long the warm-up takes?! It's about a half hour in between games. That is 30 minutes that I could be knitting. She says it embarrasses her. Hmm. Last year I took my Nookbook and read. I guess I really don't see what the difference is. I told her I would honor her request at volleyball games this year...but I did take a hat to the basketball game last Saturday and I did accomplish quite a bit...while yelling just a little. One of our youth kids yelled down at me that I needed to pay attention to the game and quit knitting. Obviously he wasn't paying attention because I had been yelling 'words of encouragement' on every possession...and even in between. Yes, it's possible to knit and watch a ball game.
It's possible that I have a small obsession with yarn and patterns. Thankfully, I have a better half that isn't about to say anything about that little obsession (right?)...at least until it gets way out of hand...and we aren't even close to that level...yet. The kids are old enough to gather nuts and berries. Socks can be worn two+ days maybe. And my daughter won't really die of embarrassment if I'm in the bleachers knitting.
Hey, if the ship goes down, I can always sell hats, cowls, scarves and ear warmers. It's possible I will have plenty.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
To knit or exercise? That is the question...
I was thinking yesterday...it's really good to have a healthy hobby, but it's not so good to have an addiction. My problem is always with balancing things. At this point in time, I am totally consumed with knitting. I could knit 24 hours a day if time, work, hands, arms, supplies allowed for it. (Okay, I may be exaggerating a tad, but...) I'm in love with knitting.
In my mind, I was comparing this passion for knitting every spare moment to how my BFF spends some of his spare time - exercising. Why can't I become consumed with exercising...something other than my fingers and hands (which is becoming a problem, by the way)? Gosh, if only I could somehow have a little of both...the gumption and discipline to exercise for my health...and then relax by knitting.
I think my BFF finds running through hilly, snow-covered bike paths relaxing. To me, it sounds simply treacherous. And he will go run miles after doing an extreme work-out video. What is wrong with that man?! I'm at that point where I feel like the knitting has become my excuse to not exercise. I want my spare time for knitting and nothing else.
I saw an article last week about a man breaking a world record - running a marathon and knitting a 12-foot, 9-inch scarf. First of all, my BFF couldn't understand a man wanting to knit, but all I could think about is, who in their right mind thought of trying this and set the first record? I've been told by a friend that she has crocheted while walking on the treadmill. I'm just not sure I'm that talented...and I certainly don't need a broken ankle or leg.
I'm hoping real soon to find that balance I have so much trouble with...in more ways than one. (Don't even ask me to stand on one foot right now.) But my goodness, it's almost the end of the year, so why not wait until January 1 to turn over my new leaf? I would hate to break tradition...better keep knitting.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Darn Yarn
Can you tell I'm distracted by other things? I must admit, I have an addictive personality apparently. It's a darn good thing I've never been into drugs. I cannot control the knitting. I love it. I love to buy yarn. I buy yarn and think, okay, I don't need to even look at another skein of yarn until I have used up what I have...and then Joann Fabric's online calls my name, or the best store ever, The Yarn Studio, in our neighboring town, has their 20% off sale.
Jay commented last week that if the delivery people knew they were delivering a box of yarn to my doorstep, they would be mad. I say no, they wouldn't, it's job security. And furthermore, they deliver pig semen to our house...I can't imagine that yarn is worse.
How much stuff can one person knit? Lots of things! In a 24-hour period this past weekend, I completed three pretty cool hats. THREE. And I did other things. It wasn't like I just sat down and did nothing but knit...but I completed three hats.
I have stacks and stacks of yarn and books and patterns. The internet is so awesome, I can print off all the free patterns I want. There is no limit...except that the binder I started is about to bust. I'm going to have to go for the two or three-inch thick binder. The little one will hardly hold my tab labeled "Hats."
I would like to try some new harder stuff soon, but feel like a lesson with the knitting guru is in order before I begin that. I tried to make a fingerless glove...and I got the fingerless part right...but had no hole for the thumb. Hmm.
Jay has told me that I mustn't knit things for people without them asking because not everyone wants a wardrobe full of knitted wonders...so if anyone is desirous of a hat, scarf, cowl, infinity scarf, etc...let me know what you would like!
Jay commented last week that if the delivery people knew they were delivering a box of yarn to my doorstep, they would be mad. I say no, they wouldn't, it's job security. And furthermore, they deliver pig semen to our house...I can't imagine that yarn is worse.
How much stuff can one person knit? Lots of things! In a 24-hour period this past weekend, I completed three pretty cool hats. THREE. And I did other things. It wasn't like I just sat down and did nothing but knit...but I completed three hats.
I have stacks and stacks of yarn and books and patterns. The internet is so awesome, I can print off all the free patterns I want. There is no limit...except that the binder I started is about to bust. I'm going to have to go for the two or three-inch thick binder. The little one will hardly hold my tab labeled "Hats."
I would like to try some new harder stuff soon, but feel like a lesson with the knitting guru is in order before I begin that. I tried to make a fingerless glove...and I got the fingerless part right...but had no hole for the thumb. Hmm.
Jay has told me that I mustn't knit things for people without them asking because not everyone wants a wardrobe full of knitted wonders...so if anyone is desirous of a hat, scarf, cowl, infinity scarf, etc...let me know what you would like!
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