Sunday, January 14, 2007    started at 6:54am
 

Marginal
Notes:

Weather: Cold with rain and eventually freezing rain.  No snow yet this season. 

Current projects:

 

Winter Projects:

Still have to make the other glove for Dennis

I have not begun the scarf for Ryan. His band is working on a logo and I will make it with the logo once they decided upon it.

Various hats, scarves and mittens.  I want to have some on hand to sell at the CT Sheep Show in the Spring.

Projects on hold.  I'm bored with these!:

A lace scarf out of hand painted Merino.  This is a test project for the business.  I might start to sell this yarn.  Haven't finished it.  Not crazy about the colors.  Maybe I'll make it into socks instead.

Charcoal gray alpaca sweater.  I have misplaced the instructions.  Should be interesting to finish it without them. 

No quilts in progress

 

             
           

.
 

   I had to drive up to New Hampshire to pick up Ryan and his roommate D from college.  They both are in the band and had spent the week recording their music.  It was a long drive as the town is on the border of Maine.  Ryanne made the trip with me to keep me company.  She was very chatty and she entertained me with the stories of what she has been doing lately.  She and Ryan are getting along a better.  It seems that they have turned a corner in their relationship.  She has to get used to the fact that he is not going to always be available for her.  She must find her own friends and make her own joy.  When I was her age, I clung too much to my boyfriend (GK who eventually became Ryan's father)  and because of it, I look back now and realize that there were many missed opportunities in my life.  I should have finished college.  I should have attempted living on my own, I should have traveled, I should have made friends outside of work.  Back then I had hobbies but my life revolved around GK and work.  I didn't pursue any creativity alone.  I spent nearly every non-working, non-sleeping moment with him.  I should have pursued my interests, but I was very insecure and afraid of making my own way in life.

Anyway, it was a long day in the car.  Three+ hour drive each way, a few pit stops and a hour food stop on the way home.  D's father drove to our house to pick him up.  They live in the southwestern part of the state, nearly to New York.  His dad was thankful that I had made the trip up to get the boys.

I still have not done the business paperwork!  I had planned on doing it on Friday, but I had to go to the doctor and get my hair done.  I hadn't had my hair colored or cut since October!  I had some very big gray roots!  If I were to let my hair grow out, I would look like Lilly Munster.

Currently I'm working on a scarf for the Red Scarf Project.  It's a worthy cause, but I just can't seem to stay motivated on it.  I'll finish before the end of next week as I really need to get it in the mail.  The other ladies in the spinning group are working on them.  I want to get a photo of all our completed scarves before we need to pop them in the mail.  I'm also spinning and I'll probably start knitting soon another scarf.  This one is tan alpaca and it was requested by Darlene at work.  In a rather tipsy moment at a party at her house, she wanted to know why I had never made her a scarf as I had been to her house three times.  I promised her I would make her one and she chose the fiber out of some I had here in the stash.

The bunnies are good, except Ruby.  I had let her fur grown long to keep her warm.  I had planned on trimming it last week but never got to do it.  Well, this week I looked at her and she was wet.  Then it got worse and she became more wet.  Then she started to smell funny.  Evidentially, she has fur mites and she has been licking up a storm.  Thursday night I had to cut nearly all of her fur off.  It was stinky and wet and in spots, a bit yellowed.  I had to throw most of it away.  I inadvertently nicked her back with the scissors so she also has a cut there.  Her back has what looks like severe dandruff that resembles ground up oatmeal.  At the advice of Chris, I have ordered some medication for the mites from a farm supply store in Alabama.  I will try it and if it doesn't help, I'll take her to the vet.  I need to learn how to care of the buns on my own without running the vet all of the time.  That just gets way too expensive.  I have some topical ointment from the vet that I had to use when Eloise had an infection.  I've been putting it on the scissor cut to help it heal.  I always feel just awful when I cut them!  She is still perky and eating well though so I'm not too worried.  She just looks bad.

Today we are going out to lunch with LP.  He is taking Dennis, myself, Ryan and Ryanne to a restaurant with a regular Sunday brunch type buffet.  It's his Christmas gift for all of us.  This is the first chance we have had to go since the holidays.  It should be a nice relaxing time, and I don't have to cook or clean up!

Next week I hope to put together an order for Louet.  I know my inventory is low and I am out of a few items.  I just haven't had the time or means right now to concentrate and order what we need.  First, I must get a jump on the paperwork.  Tax time is just around the corner.

Nearly time to get Ryan out of bed and force him to take a shower before we go out to lunch.  He stinks after living a week in a basement music room with 4 other young men.

Recently completed projects-most recent first:

    Mittens for my supervisor out of some Noro I had in the stash.
Mittens for Ryanne to match the Shetland lace scarf out of the softest Merino wool Shetland Lace scarf out of pink angora.  I need to block it as it seems to have grown when I washed it.  It's now about 8' long!  I gave this to Ryanne's mother.  She loves it. A blue and multicolored handspun, multidirectional scarf.  I gave this to Ryanne's father as a combo Christmas & birthday present.
Finished a hat out of multicolored handspun from roving I purchased at Rhinebeck last year.  It's pretty shades of blues and greens.  I made it for the Tamarra the temp that left work and now is in school in NH.  I need to make her some mittens too and I will mail them to her. Finished a Shetland lace scarf in greens & orange hand painted Merino from the NH Sheep show.  It's for Ryanne for Christmas Started and finished a quick multi-directional scarf out of the same green homespun for the other temp at work (Tamarra) who was leaving.  She's going to school in NH so she'll need it.
Knit another hat for Ryanne.  This one larger and out of green homespun.  I added a few stripes of orange to make it the colors of the Irish flag.  She's very Irish.  A blue hat with pink embroidered flowers and beads.  I gave it to another girl at work for her toddler daughter. Little basket weave socks for a toddler.  I gave the to a girl at work for her 18 month old daughter.
A hat for Ryanne out of some blue Merino.  I think it's too small though. A homespun wool scarf in Autumn colors using  a Shetland lace pattern.  It's my first attempt at lace and I'm enjoying it.   Socks.  Two pairs.  One for me and I gave the other to Ryanne.
Made a quick scarf to wear to work out of the recycled silk I purchased on vacation. Ryanne has the green sweater.  I haven't seen it or her for a while.  I have no idea what stage it is at.  She was lengthening the sleeves (I have very short arms) and adding volume to the neck. Socks.  Blue & green variegated yarn.  I gave them to Ryanne
Multidirectional Diagonal scarf out of brown homespun wool and alpaca.  I gave it to Jack the Therapist.  He didn't have a scarf. Finished the never ending cardigan turned vest!  The buttons are sewn on, I just have to make button holes and block it. Pair of mittens for a child.  They are knit out of Blue Wool-Ease from Lion Brand so they will be washable.  I gave them to Chef Dave at work for his little boy Michael.
A multidirectional diagonal scarf for Dennis out of blue homespun wool. A scarf for the scarf swap at our spinning guild made out of a mohair blend I purchased at Rhinebeck and some blue homespun wool. Mittens for the girl who lives down the street made out of brown alpaca and a wool in autumnal colors.
Another hat for my chiropractor's baby out of multicolored acrylic.. Blue mittens to match the scarf for Ryanne  A simple gray winter hat. It's from the Border Leicester fleece that I bought last year.  It's for LP for Christmas. 
A turquoise blue wool and silk blend scarf for Ryanne. Socks out of hand painted wool in lovely muted, "desert" colors.  I inadvertently washed them and the wool felted.  I now have slipper socks. A grass green colored angora & alpaca simple raglan sweater
Hot pink hat for my chiropractor's baby. A cowl from a blend of Cotswold wool and alpaca. A glittery scarf with yarn purchased from Threadbear.
Hat for Dennis of  homespun charcoal gray Corridale wool. An ugly brown sweater for Dennis out of a mix of homespun wools.  He loves it Multicolored socks for me.