Quietish

Okay, first things first:
ZOMG No way September is over! *blubbers* I want it back!!
< end panic >

Phew, ok so while I love September, it is first in the group of my favorite months of the year. October is next and I’m perfectly happy with that. In fact, I’m looking forward to it. It should be even cooler and that is a very good thing.

Now, some background info: I have been harboring a desire to take some time and see if I can still draw. I have a large, secret fear that the whole 4-years-of-art thing was a fluke. While I may joke about this, the fear is quite real. I’ve been out of the art (and writing, for that matter) thing for so long that I’m scared to death that when I try again I will end up sucking in a big way. So while I’ve been wanting to do “real” art (and again, writing) for some time, the intimidation has been too much for me. My status as the creative one in my family was the large part of my identity for a long time.

So I think I’ve finally conquered the wimpiness enough to give it a try. And since I’ve got a thing about scheduling my craftiness, I had set aside the month of October for sketching and arty playing. For awhile I even had a good amount of success at clearing my slate knitting-wise so I could go for it.

Unfortunately, the knitting began to fight back and at the moment is winning. So maybe November (favorite-month number 3) will work out instead.

It’s about time for a knitting progress report.

You might recognize this lovely lump of lace.

I’ve heard from more people yet that they still don’t understand the little progress illustrations I’ve posted, so I’m going a little simpler:

I started at the back of the neck and it’s worked side from side down towards the bottom edges. Each color corresponds to a date on which I reported progress. I have no idea why I’m trying so hard to make it perfectly clear just how slowly I’m heading towards being done. But, there it is.

So Peacock has been my focus project so I can get it done and move on. I choose that one to work on as often as possible and have even gotten to where I can knit it fairly well while socializing. Go me!

Then I started some Pomatomuses (Pomatomi? Pomatomoose?) so I’d have something to work on when I just couldn’t commit to sitting still for an hour to get a Peacock row done. They’re coming along alright, but I’m not in any hurry to finish.

And then I decided I needed something even simpler than Pomatomus that I can do when I have even less time to sit down with knitting. So I started Unbiased out of some Vegan yarn I had originally thought I’d do a Funky Scarf out of.

But before I started Unbiased, I had planned on my next project to be a simple toddler sweater for CIC. I already have the yarn.

Now that I think about it, I can’t remember why I started the bag instead of simply casting on for a sweater. The bag will be faster, though.

*mumbles* Today I joined the Ariann knitalong.

I don’t know yet what this means for my knitting or my sanity, but I hope it will be acceptable if I start this project and take my sweet, sweet time with it.

On top of those things, I have a long list of lace shawls I want to do directly after Peacock. Although I think a new shawl project may be pushed back until I have all these things done and dusted. This crafter gets overwhelmed easily. In case you’re wondering, Icarus will likely be my next lace project. Squeee!!

(photo: Interweave Knits)

Anyway, as for this weekend, I plan to spend some time watching lots of Lost, enjoying the cool-ish weather, and finally putting a zipper in my long-finished Ribby.

Either in that order or not.

I was thrown off course when Callie died, and fell way behind on the Every Day thing. Took care of some of that today, though.

Now if I can only (quickly) finish my various knitting projects and large cross stitch project. Oh yeah, and the whole podcast thing, too.

I haven’t posted about her much. Named her after some yummy chocolate. Isn’t she pretty?

Edit: I should have mentioned that I’ve had her since 2002 LOL I just felt that I’ve not posted near as many pictures as I should have.

I’m late again for SPS.

Pretty straightforward. It seems a lazy way out, but actually I’m surprisingly productive for a Monday morning. Been cleaning and stuff.

So I chopped off my hair again. It wasn’t too terribly long, but it was already bugging me. As much as love long hair, apparently I’m more of a short hair person.

Justin’s out of town again for the week, and the kids and I are by ourselves. (Just a little service announcement for all you stalker types, wink.) I’ve been trying to decide how to spend my week, as I usually assign myself a project for when I’m home alone. Right now, besides the cleaning, all I can come up with is to obsessively knit on Peacock and see how far I can get before Friday evening.

The thing making me especially twitchy is that Justin and I recently broke down and decided to watch all the old episodes of Lost so that we can keep up with Season 3 when it starts Thursday. Unfortunately, we didnt get past disk 5 of 6 of Season 1 before he had to leave. I would totally sit here and watch non-stop if he didn’t want to watch too.

I re-joined Netflix the other day, btw, if anyone wants to friend me.

I suppose I could read too. We’ll see how it goes.

Well, there hasn’t been anything really exciting going on with my knitting this week. I’ve been plugging along on Peacock Feathers, and am frustrated at how slow each row goes. Notice how I blame this on the knitting and not on the knitter.

To remind, here is progress as reported on the 13th:

Here is progress as of a few minutes ago:

And here they are overlapped, so it is painfully obvious how much more effort I really need to put into this thing if I want it done anytime soon:

The image, btw, is the one that appears on the website and on the pattern. Mine is red, which is why I chose that color to highlight the parts I’ve already done. Sadly, the actual shawl is too bunched up on the needles to really bother with taking a picture of it.

Well m’dear, I’m not sure what to say. You’ve been my greatest friend, quiet but ever-present throughout every ordeal I’ve faced in recent years as well as every bit of the mundane. Of nearly everyone I know, I’ve known you longest. And probably best.

The first time I saw you, you were merely two glowing eyes staring out from a hiding place in your former human’s apartment. While I’m sure you didn’t particularly appreciate our inaugural meeting in which I extracted you from under the mattress, squashed you into a box, put you into a car, and took you to an entirely new place, whatever distaste for me you may have had didn’t linger long. I’m glad, as your company was completely welcome in my lonely apartment.

I was amused and comforted by the routine we quickly slipped into that first year. I’d return from work to find you, without fail, positioned exactly facing the door waiting for me to come in. I wondered but never could tell if you anticipated the exact time I’d be home, or whether you simply waited there all day. Bedtime would not have been bedtime, either, without your carefully executed night-time procedure of “tucking me in,” waiting precisely 10 minutes, getting up from the bed to visit the food bowl, and returning to bed 15 minutes later.

Our next big move a year later is something I should probably apologize for again. This time the trip was not an easy 5 minutes, but an uncomfortable 12 hours. You rode in your carrier, positioned directly behind my head for maximum MEOW effect amidst the pile of my wordly possesions. I had everything I owned crammed into that car, and would have quickly left out my stereo or probably my clothes if you had not fit.

And then rather unfortunately we found ourselves where I had no place to keep you. I had been optimistically hoping that I could work something out. Instead we were back in the car the very next weekend, driving 19 more hours so you could stay with my family. I hated doing that. I hated it. After a year, it didn’t feel right leaving you and I’m sure they or anyone else could not have cared for you the way I did. But I remained optimistic and yet another year after that, I came to bring you home.

I would never leave you again. You watched as my “real” human family was beginning and growing in numbers, and waited (mostly) patiently for what I hope was sufficient kitty-attention time. I think I did fairly well at appreciating your affection. I know the two occasions we introduced a new kitten to the mix were upsetting and I know you didn’t like when we’d go away for more than a day. In the aftermath of both instances, you were on me like glue and wouldn’t let me out of your sight for quite some time.

But really that is just your way. I can’t say how much your presence has added to my days. There is something about being able to reach down and know you would absolutely be there at any point. If I were to change rooms or tasks, you’d easily just change your position so that you were again perched nearby. Whether I was working, writing, or especially doing arty things, you were right there. Often sprawled happily over whatever it was I was supposed to be working. A muse perhaps? Yes, most definitely. I could look over into your brilliant green eyes, and find just enough happiness there to keep on with.

For years you have been with me, one solitary constant through so much change and often difficulty. You are a part of me, more than I could have ever expected. And certainly more than I can ever explain. I have to say I planned on many more than just 7 years with you. Today I feel like I’ve been robbed but also like I must have missed something I shouldn’t have somewhere along the way. But I also know you’re not hurting now, and that to me is the most important thing. I will miss you.

Luna was wearing what looked like a pair of orange radishes for earrings, a fact that Parvati and Lavender seemed to have noticed, as they were both giggling and pointing at her earlobes.

From Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter Thirteen: Detention with Dolores

I got the idea sometime back to make these earrings, and just now got around to it. The process is simple, involves the use of Paperclay, and will be described in the next episode of CraftBorg (coming soon).


I included the 2nd image because I thought it looked cool. Heee.

but I couldn’t decide on a SPS portrait. So, here’s two.

Me n Remus. Sorta dark. Sorry about that too. But.. its a puppy picture so yay!

Me n Pomatomus sock at the B&N cafe, waiting for my knitting buddies.

Creative title, eh?

Caught up on some Learn Something New pages.

BTW, I’m sorry if it is frustrating that I don’t post close up pictures of each page. Mostly I don’t because they’re very simple (very, very) so there is not really much in the detail to see, and also because they’re just little notes to myself. Really it is just about showing that I’ve done the work, lol!

Things to do today:
Knit. (Very close to the end of chart 5 of Peacock, wheee!)
Muster up some creativity to take and post an SPS.

September 11 - September 14

Just, you know, to let ya know I’m still doing it :) I think I already have a statement for today’s page.