July 21, 2006
Boin-n-n-n-n-n-g-g-g-g-g!
A couple of years ago, I wrote about how the strangest part of being a blogger is that it can turn you into a Pseudo-Sim. Things that other bloggers or your readers write about or suggest or questions they ask can have a mysterious, marionette-like effect on your life—even from 3,000 miles away—and soon you find yourself eating scones because someone else did, posting photographs you never thought you’d post in response to questions from left field, and buying the yarn that someone else says is a must-have, never mind—and I still can’t wrap my head around this—running a knitting charity.
Three years into blogging, the Pseudo-Sim Effect continues.
Recently, Norma wrote about this book . Thanks to Norma’s suggestion and CoinStar’s devilish marketing ploy of converting your loose change into Amazon gift certificates, TMK, who considers Norma a gardening soul mate and who succumbed years ago to the evil that is online shopping, was doomed. As of last Saturday, she, too, owned the book.
After a mere hour of perusing the Encyclopedia, TMK got a maniacal, possessed look in her eye, shot up from the kitchen table, barreled outside, and started this…
the Norma Project, which, with the addition of some crushed rock, mortar, pavers, small fountain and comfortable chair, will become a little patio outside of her gardening shed:
Before we could stop her, Frankie did do one spectacular face-plant into the hole which explains the now very deliberately positioned wheelbarrow. Although she has regained her composure, Frankie still takes every opportunity she can to punish the hole by peeing in it.
As for me, yesterday I hit the metaphorical Wall extraordinarily hard, much like a cartoon character which runs full tilt into a brick wall and then vibrates uncontrollably around the room, all googly eyed and going “boin-n-n-n-n-n-g-g-g-g-g.” I’m much improved today, though, thank Gawd, since my carrot-on-a-stick, the second annual Mariners Stitch & Pitch, is next Tuesday. Unfortunately, it involves long bus rides back and forth, a trek to the stadium, many stairs to reach the nosebleed section, and three hours of watching a baseball game that the Mariners will invariably lose (did I say that out loud?). Anyone want to lay odds on whether I make it?
In the meantime, I have plowed through at least 15 books—including all five of the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series —and finished the Staring Contest With Fate Sweater:
Again, this was knit using WoolPak (the main body) and Berroco Foliage, which is 53% Wool and 47% Acrylic, perfect for the potentially itchy-scratchy necks and cuffs.
I’m also toiling away on the pattern for the bulky child’s vest which became a complete nightmare for this neophyte designer when she realized that she had to figure out how to decrease for the armhole at the same time as she decreased for the v-neck when the two had absolutely no mathematical relationship to each other whatsoever. However, all three pieces are now done and are ready to be soaked, blocked and laid out to dry in the astonishingly hot 95 degree weather we are having today. Photos anon.
Posted by Ryan at July 21, 2006 02:17 PMOh, I am SOOOO familiar with that maniacal, possessed look after looking in that book. Isn't it the GREATEST, TMK? I'm so honored that you did the NORma project. Hopefully it did not involve too many swear words. :)
Speaking of THE GREATEST, that little sweater is to die for. About what size is it, Ryan? Toddlerish?
Posted by: Norma on July 21, 2006 02:32 PMNorma: Not too many swear words...yet. But now I have to go to manland (evil Home Depot/Lowes) and try to communicate to the man that I want 200 (not 199, not 201, not broken) of *these* pavers, along with 15 or so bags of crushed rock, and 5 bags of sand delivered to my house. Because if I try to put all of that in my truck the tires would splay out in all directions and the truck would die (which would be bad since I only have one payment left). So I think there will be a NOR-ma! or two in my future. ;-) (And it's all your fault.) TMK
Posted by: The Mysterious K on July 21, 2006 02:48 PMNorma, the sweater is about one to two year, I think, not having much experience myself with children and their respective sizes.
I'm concerned about the fact that the two yarns have such different fiber content; I'm not sure what's going to happen when I block it but we shall see. I used the Plymouth Encore pattern that I used for the multi-color sweater (the one that I knit in yellow, pink and green Cascade Quattro) and just fudged the numbers a bit. I'm very happy with the results, especially the little "epaulettes."
(TOLD you I'd "blame" you for something in today's post. Hee, hee!)
Posted by: Ryan on July 21, 2006 03:02 PMI love the sweater, and the colors are perfect for a little one!
I discovered The #1 Ladies Detective Agency series when my dad was recovering from surgery a few years ago and I pick them up as soon as each new one is published. I think it's the only detective series I've ever enjoyed. But it makes me want to visit Botswana and that wouldn't be good for the old checkbook.
Posted by: Shanti on July 21, 2006 03:35 PMTMK: Good luck on your trek to manland. I can't tell you how much I hate going there (either of them). Actually, I love all the toys, just having to deal with the employees that sucks.
Posted by: Ginger on July 21, 2006 03:49 PMI loved Alexander McCall Smith's #1 Ladies series, read the first of the Sunday Philosophers Club series and liked it too, and am now searching my library for his 44 something or other Street series (the newest title just came out) so I can put them on hold (after I read the other 20 or so books on my hold list that all happened to come in at once!!). I am almost finished with the last of Margaret Coel's Arapaho mysteries- very good. I like finding a series after a bunch of them have been written so that I can read them all in a row without having to wait for the next one to come out. I love the bright little cardi. What pattern did you use?
Posted by: Tish on July 21, 2006 10:25 PMI am not a fan of the McCall books. Just could not wade through them.
Ryan, I hope you are starting to feel better soon. I had a hysterectomy 6 years ago, and I must be a poster child for them, because I was out shopping after 10 days, and back at work in 3.5 weeks. And, let me tell you this- best thing I ever did!!!!!!!
And now for a small lecture. Amazon makes about 95% of its donations to conservative causes. ( I know! Who knew?) but Barnes and Noble donates mostly to liberal causes. I have never read of anything from you that leads me to believe you are politically inept, or staunch Republican, so I hope to not be stepping on toes here.
Posted by: Ginnie on July 22, 2006 09:48 AMYuck, conservative contributions. BN, here I come!
That being said, my local Home Depot must be an anomaly. The garden department is staffed almost entirely by helpful women, and the inside is staffed by men who don't help ANYone, regardless of gender, age, or plummeting neckline and pushup bra. (I tried it once. I got a lot of leers, but no actual help.) Try a contractor's supply place instead of those DIY meccas. You'll probably get better help, better selection, and maybe even better prices.
I think the #1 Ladies books are charming potato chip reading. I've munched my way through them all.
If you enjoy them you might like to know that there are now *seven* books in the series:
http://www.iblist.com/series167.htm
Posted by: Kit on July 22, 2006 04:35 PMHello Ryan -
Glad to hear you are feeling better. I met MaryB on the Seattle knitters guild trip to Sequim, and she said she was going to rat me out to you - i.e. my hat knitting for Dulaan... so I decided to step out myself... Regarding designing, I'm working on ways to taylor the surprise EZ baby sweater to chunky yarns, and I'll keep you updated on that - we'll have a pattern for use with your donated yarns in not too long!
Take care of yourself now!
Irina
I have two words: Tuteur Tutorial.
Posted by: Sweet Caroline on July 24, 2006 12:19 PMHmmm, wait until you hear about the new garden book I've got. Recommended to me by Jen of JenLa -- Gaia's Garden. A new obsession is growing. Pardon the pun. :)
Posted by: Norma on July 25, 2006 07:21 PMI was glad to see that you indeed did make it to the game tonight; hope that means you are feeling lots better (even if the game probably had no part in that...).
Posted by: Susanna in Seattle on July 25, 2006 10:58 PMImpatient little thing that I am, I reeeeely want to see a photo of TMK's garden shed patio please. Even another progress shot. I have to say going to my local Home Depot is never a problem. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I'm also amused by being the only woman in the power tool or bolts section sometimes. Obviously I'm easily amused. As well as impatient. :o)
Posted by: Rachel H on July 26, 2006 05:56 AMRachel H.: Sorry to report no progress on the patio since the last photo was taken. Seattle was hit with a heatwave of record proportions (for Seattle) for nearly a week and we were left in a stupor, unable/unwilling to move. Shoveling rock was not a recommended or welcome activity. The tentative plan is to get crushed rock thrown in the hole this Saturday. ;-) TMK
Posted by: The Mysterious K on July 26, 2006 08:36 AMGlad to hear you're feeling better...well, as long as you stay away from walls. It gives me hope, since I'll be following in your surgical footsteps soon.
I'm doing my part for Lee Ann as well; 95 degrees, high humidity, no wind, and no power at home since last Wednesday night. With over 500,000 people in the same boat over the weekend, Lee Ann should have felt the negative karma suck toward St. Louis like a black hole. We still have over 90,000 without power, and no idea when it will be fixed.
Love the sweater. If I can ever stand to touch something heavier than sock yarn again, I'll have to get going on my Dulaan stuff for next year.
Posted by: Beth in StL on July 26, 2006 10:48 AM