Overwhelmed and undertimed (is that word?)

Feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment. I’ve got a to-do list way longer than my free time.

as you can see there’s not much crossed out! all must be done by Wednesday. I’ve been working on painting in the entry room. There’s way more woodwork than you’d imagine once you start painting it all. Just take a look around your own room, all the windows, doors, archways, baseboards and if there are stairs…the spindles, side baseboards, steps and rising faces. not to mention the handrails and posts. I’ve already spent the better part of 3 evenings and half of another day painting the wood. All of it needed a second coat. I just need to paint the spindles with the contrast color and I’ll be good for now. I plan to paint the center of the stair spindles the color of the walls.  I do need to paint the outside of the door but that’s not as vital to finish the room. Tomorrow I’ll paint the walls then we can install the ceiling and maybe the moulding before Thanksgiving. I will not paint on Wednesday since I’ll need to bake pies. and of course Thursday will be the big dinner and football! We’re eating here with 3 of my kids and some of their S.O.’s and my grandson. The girls and I have to work so it will be up to Hubby and Son to cook. this works for us, they’ve done the meal for the last couple of years. I always work the holiday and we eat at supper time. I do have to be careful to save up enough “points” for the big dinner and dessert. I’m losing weight on Weight Watchers and want to be careful thru the holidays not to gain back what I’ve lost. I’m hoping that I’ve found a weight loss buddy, one of the girls at work is interested and we may help keep each other on track.

I haven’t had much knitting time, I’m still working on the pattern for the mitts, hopefully when I get this paint work done, I’ll have time to work on them more.

til next time, keep knitting

Exams..good and bad

We’re still working on the house, after finishing the living room, we started to tear apart my entry room. This is where my desk, hubby’s desk, gun cabinet and other assorted items sit. It’s where you enter my house and gets lots of casual use. We have both our computers on the desks and they seem to catch all the clutter and dropped items as everyone comes inside. We have our computers on a network so that all 4 of us can be on at one time. Right now both desks are in the newly finished room since the floor, ceiling and walls are being redone. My house is about 100 yrs old and I think the folks that did any work before us were even more unskilled than we are because we’re finding so many mess ups. There were 4 floor coverings, a carpet, 2 linoleums, and an oil cloth floor all over top of each other! We’re going to paint walls and stairs first then put the ceiling back up and then the moulding. Yes, we’re going to have another go at cutting crown moulding.

Last week I had my mammogram. Thought everything was ok and then yesterday I got a call that the Doctor saw “something” on the films and could I go have it done again. I’ve been lucky 3 times that I’ve had biopsy and no cancer so of course I jumped on the worry train and wondered if my luck was over. They re-did the test this morning and said “ok, you’re good to go” Does this mean I’m lucky again…or just that the pictures were good? I’m just waiting to find out if all’s good. Pray for me if you think of me.

On the knitting front, I’m working on a pattern of fingerless mitts to go with the Brambles hat. Once I have the bugs worked out, I’ll publish it. Stay tuned for updates. til next time….keep knitting.

work and wonders

Well, the renovation continues. We’ve finished the living room! It took dear Hubby and I 8 hours to figure out how to cut and install crown moulding…yes it’s a B***H!!! I guess we’re both math challenged not to mention that we were trying to do it with hand tools and not a power saw. But we cut it and then re-cut it and re-cut it again until it was right. of course I had to look it up on the internet to find that we were doing it all wrong. It’s up and painted, the woodwork is done and the carpet installed. I’m not very good at cutting carpet either. again that whole math challenge thing comes into play. we laid it down and I thot I was cutting it about 3” long and of course it was 1” too SHORT! well, thankfully Dear Hubby can fix most anything and he took care of it for me. There are 2 wooden rockers, an office chair and a tv on a wooden stand in there now. we don’t have any other furniture and I don’t plan to buy any yet. We need to move all the furniture from the next room into there so we need the space. 

November is a month of birthdays for our family, we have one every weekend. We celebrated Caiti’s birthday on Sunday, she turned 21. I’m so proud of her, she’s graduated her nursing course and will soon take her licensing board test. I did finish the  Bramble hat and gave her that for her gift. She really liked it. It is Paton’s Classic Wool.   

I also gave dear Grandson, Beanz, his hat. he wanted the squiggly’s on top so we put 3 of them on for him. I wasn’t sure if he would like them or not so I asked first. His birthday is coming this weekend, but it’s supposed to get cold before that so he got it early. Now I need another gift for him because of course 6yr olds don’t count hats as gifts! I have something in mind that I know he’ll like.

I bought 2 new patterns for hats and mittens so I need to get busy. For Hubby and Son, I got the Balaclava hat and gloves from patternfish   PATTERNFISH - Men's Balaclava, Ribbed Hat and Gloves  and sweedish mittens from Ravelry   ravelry Swedish Fish by SpillyJane  . stay tuned for pics soon.  I have the next 2 days off. Going to have Beanz for a bit tomorrow and then Friday have the dreaded yearly Mammogram. I’ve had several cancer scares so I really need not to put this off any longer. Had my eyes checked yesterday, guess I’m getting old( at least that’s what the dr said) needed new glasses of course. Hope nothing else falls apart soon.

Til next time …keep knitting.

A day off

After working 30 hrs in the last 2 days, today was a nice break. Of course there’s always laundry and the house to catch up doing chores. but still I can do that in my sweats and socks. I did take a bit of time to work on clearing out my old computer and adding all my stuff on the new one. When oldest DS got a new computer, I got the old one. but I have absolutely no luck and crashed in within the first 2 weeks! thank goodness he’s a near IT man and was able to work on it and now it’s back up and running. I’m using a new email program and a new program to blog. this is being done on Windows LIVE. He tells me that it does a lot more so I’ll be playing around for a while to figure out exactly how it all works. I took some time while all the things were being transferred to do some knitting. I started the Bramble hat from Knitty. http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEdf10/PATTbrambles.php  if you do go get the free pattern…remember to download the chart for the cables. I unfortunately did not do this last week when I grabbed the pattern and so when I was away from home with needles and yarn in hand….couldn’t work on it because I had no chart! darn…darn and rats even! didn’t really matter. I was able to start the ribbing and I’m still on it. I did get the chart today and have it all ready so when I do reach that point. I’m ready to go forward. I’m using Paton’s classic wool in the color Water Chestnut. It’s a soft pink yarn. I find so many great things on the web that I often forget to actually knit!  I also finished making the little swirls for the top of my Mesa hat. http://www.patternfish.com/patterns/4771  I just need to sew them on the top and it will be ready for my grandson. My car is on the blink again. DS and DH are out in the cold working on it. They are the best guys! It’s only about 44 degrees out and they’re on the ground fixing it. New water pump, fuel pump (I think) timing chain and some other assorted parts. I shudder to think what I’d pay a garage if they weren’t so handy. Well, off to work on my hat. I’ll post some pics as soon as I get the cable part going…..til next time, keep knitting.

life goes on..knitting, remodeling etc.

I've been knitting on a hat for my grandson. it's the pattern Checkerboard mesa from Patternfish. www.patternfish.com/patterns/4771 It's an easy repeat. This is worked Fair isle with stranded yarns. I haven't done it in a long time so I have to be careful of my tension.

But it's quick to work. I've done most of it in 2 evenings. I hope to finish it this week so he'll have it. We're supposed to get cooler weather for next week. Then I need to get started on some sweaters for him. I usually try to do 2 or 3 every year for him. thankfully he's a cold type of kid and loves to wear sweaters and hats. It makes a gramma happy if they wear the stuff you make. He loved one of the first big boy sweaters that I made for him so much that his mom had to pry it off of him to wash it. he wore it every day.

Finally got the living room painted. It's a pretty color called Irish Coffee. The electric is re-wired to the ceiling, outlets and switches. we still need to put the ceiling fan back up. there's still a lot of work to do. Moulding at the top, paint the woodwork, carpet and then finally re-furnish. but it's looking more live-able. I can see the light far far away at the end of the tunnel.

Got my flu shot on Monday and my arm is still sore. I hate that the muscle gets so sore and you feel like you can't use your arm. it wakes you up in the nite when you roll on it. carrying laundry and bathing the dog doesn't help it much.

Halloween parade here in town tonite. It will go right past my oldest DD's house so we plan to go sit with my grandson and family to watch. I better go get supper going so we're ready in time.

til next time.. keep knitting

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What a great weekend! and a freebie for you

I've had a lovely weekend. On Saturday, I spent the day with my youngest daughter, Caiti, while Hubby and oldest son were hunting. We went to visit my 2nd son and spent about 2 hours visitnig and sharing lunch with him. then we went for lunch ourselves at Friendly's. That's one of our favorite restaurants but my hubby doesn't like to eat there so we only go when it's "just us girls". Then we spent some time at Bath andBody. http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/home/index.jsp

Smelling all the wonderful scents and trying to choose which we should buy. I got the Forever Sunshine and Twilight woods. She bought Dark Kiss. They also had hand sanitizers and candles on sale. it's so hard to pick just one.

I got a Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin candle

that I'm enjoying even as I type this. Then we went home and played Mario on the Wii for awhile. Finishing up the night watching the Phillies baseball game. unfortunately they lost :( This morning, we went to church and then out for lunch at Perkin's as a family. Hubby, me, oldest son, his lady and her son and my youngest daughter. After that we spent some time at my older daughter's house with her and my grandson. When I had to come home to get some work done, she and hubby stayed to watch football.

I quick crocheted an autumn scarf for her to take back to college when she leaves this evening. I think she'll be surprised and like it. I hope you all do too! here's a freebie for all of you. please leave a comment or link up as a follower.

AUTUMN FANCY SCARF
By Dee Wagner LamsieDee Designs

Materials: crochet hook size N (10mm)
Lion Brand Homespun yarn (I used color 381 Barley)
Approximately 2 oz Ribbon style flag novelty yarn (this can be any novelty yarn)

Stitches used: slip stitch, chain, single crochet, double crochet

Instructions: Holding both yarns together, ch 80, dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc in next ch, ch1, skip next ch, *dc in next 2 ch, ch1, skip next ch* repeat to end of beginning chain. Do not turn. Ch1, sc in each dc and space around, working 4sc in side of the stitch at the end of row and continue around the other side of the scarf. Working in the other side of the beginning ch. When you get back to the beginning ch 1, join with sl st and end off. Weave in ends. You can add fringe if you choose.

Copywrite LamsieDee Designs October 2010

Columbus Day

today's Columbus holiday was good. I'm a state worker so it's a paid day off and that makes it even better! I've had a busy day. started off with the electric inspector at 9:30...we didn't pass again just because there was a little screw that was sposed to be laying in the bottem of the breaker box ready to reattach the power and somewhere along the way...it got lost. so she has to come back again tomorrow. hopefully we'll pass as this is her 4th trip back here. then the power company will turn off the power, switch the meter and turn on again. then we can rewire. so yep...it's not nearly done. then I found that my puter died sometime in the night and had to pull the plug and put another here to use in the meantime til my oldest son can work his magic and fix it again. so I paid some bills and played with this computer to get it working properly.
then we worked on the inside wiring for a while. can't get the one wire to go back thru the hole that the old one came out of (of course).
had the dog to the vet this evening . she's healthy and we're trying a different diet for her skin and fur. she was very good. tho she sat on my lap and low growled at the other dogs in the waiting room.
I did get another sock done for my little sock project last nite while we watched the Phillies game. I hope to get 25 done for an advent line. I now have 6 so I better get knitting. I just need more ball games to watch! the Phillies swept the Reds in 3 games and now they wait to see who they play next. go phillies!
til next time...keep knitting

cold, wet and cell phone cozies pattern link included!

It's a cold wet rainy day. I'm already missing summer and my pool! these are great days to work on knitting. last nite when my DD Caiti was here I gave her the little phone cosy that I made from this pattern www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lacy-cabled-cell-phone-cozy

this is the pattern's picture, not mine, as DD grabbed it before I ever got to take a picture! I was showing her how nicely it would fit the phone since we have the same model and she says " wow, can I keep it?" well...how do you refuse...so today, I'm starting another. I used sock yarn and it doesn't take much so you can use leftovers. I was thinking on the way to work that I could just use any sock pattern that had 48 sts. so I may make up a few more in different patterns. I actually need to make 2 for me. I want one to protect my ipod too so it's not bumping around the bottem of my tote bag.

the living room is bare and echoes when we talk. DH took all the things off the walls so I guess we'll be ready to paint later this week. gotta go make supper.

til next time..keep knitting.

remodeling the living room

threw out the furniture, pulled up the carpet, cleaned up the dirt..ready to mop, paint, refurnish then relax..yep re doing the living room. right now there's nothing in it, even threw out the curtains and end tables. I just wish it was so easy to put it all back together.
I'm knitting a phone cosy and finished the Wolcott hat. had to pull out the brim edge 5 times. not sure if it's me or the pattern? I'll post a pic once I put the buttons on it.
til next time keep knitting

It's done! and for sale ;)

I worked on it a lot today and it's done and posted for sale...what is it? why, a new potholder/oven mitt. It's called Jack O Lantern and it's for sale ($3.00) over on Ravelry.
www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/jack-o-lantern-potholder-mitt
go take a look or if you're not on Ravelry, send me an email to buy.
If only I could write and proof as fast as I get ideas...too bad it's not instant!
have a great nite and til next time....keep knitting.

hello again, I'm taking a few minutes for myself. I work 2 out of every 3 weekends so when I'm off, I play catch up from all the days I wasn't home. Laundry runs constantly and I try to do way too much. I think I go back to work to rest!

Last nite dear friend Susan had a cookout/ party. DH and I went for supper. it was lots of fun and good company. but today DH is sick again. He's had a flu all week and still went to work, so he's on the couch trying to feel better for tomorrow. So I'm making soup for his dinner to help him get well.

We're working on changing our electric service from a fuse box ( ancient) to a breaker box and thot we had it all ready to be inspected. That is until we talked to ppl and the inspector. darn, darn,darn..had to take it back off the house up 30' and move it higher. thot we wouldn't have enough wire. then re attach it. that would be ok,,,but the ladder was wimpy, DH couldn't get high enough on it. So I had to go up and unscrew the top. Now that may not be much to some of you. But I'm terrified of ladders and heights! I forced myself to go up by telling me that "you're only 2 ft off the ground...you can do this" yep, I know that doesn't usually work..but I had to do it. I'm not a whiner so what has to be done..will be done. I got it off the house but wasn't strong enough or brave enough to go back up and re attach it. so this morning dear nephew came over and went up the ladder to fix it. thank goodness HE'S not afraid. it's now re attached and ready to inspect tomorrow. While I was taking him back home, I stopped at the Turkey Hill quickie mart and wow! there was a pair of Harley's and a biker chick that I knew! My dear niece that I haven't seen in over 2 yrs! we had a quick chat before they got back on the bikes. hope to hook up soon for lunch.
I'm working on a new design so stay tuned. It should be ready later this week. that's all for now. Til next time...keep knitting.

Current project..Wolcott hat

This is what I'm currently knitting. It's called Wolcott by Sarah Burghardt. you can find it on Ravelry here www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wolcott

I'm using Loops & Threads Impeccable yarn in Earth Ombre color. It's for my oldest daughter. She has really, really long hair and needs a slouchy hat like this for the winter. Hope she likes it. I'm past the crown and working the straight rise part. Traveling to see my son later today so maybe I'll get more time to work on it while I ride. Have a great day all and til next time...keep knitting.

Hey! I'm back here again

I've been really busy and actually forgot that I had a blog! I've designed some new patterns and they're for sale here or on Ravelry. I'm working on some Christmas knitting. here's a peek at what I'm knitting. the pattern is over on Ravelry.Yes, I know it's only September...but if I don't get going it will be like last year. I'll still be knitting on Christmas eve. I work full time in a center for mentally handicapped individuals. It's very rewarding, but also very challenging most days. We've had lots of changes in the family in the last yr. It was very sad to lose 2 of our family pets to cancers. We still have one little dog, a pug named Sophie who is very spoiled. My grandson started kindergarden and my youngest daughter graduated college. I hope to start posting more here and on Ravelry, so check back often. til next time, keep knitting

Dee