Baby Sweater Complete!

Apparently, the math did work.

I never did like Math

For someone who is not very good at math, I amaze myself sometimes when modifying a knitting project. I'm working on a baby sweater that the instructions say to work in pieces. Well, first of all, I'm using 6 colors. Can you imagine the amount of ends I would have to work into it? So, I decided to knit it all in one piece, then split at the armholes to work the two fronts and the back. Easy? Sure! Except, of course, after I do the 1x1 ribbing, I have to add stitches to the two fronts and the back. Not so bad. It's only addition.

I'm at the point where I'm ready to split the sweater into its fronts and back. But, first, I had to figure out when to stop knitting, split it, continue the back to its finished length, then get back to the fronts.

Math was never my strong point, and I stay away from it as much as possible, but the question here is:

Why is it I am constantly using math to knit?

It's May Already

On May 1 I participated in a dressage show, the first one with the new 2011 tests. Fortunately, they weren't too much different, but enough that I had to re-memorize them. Bella was a really good girl; she knew it was time to put on her show face, if a horse can do that. Moonie, however, was a bad boy. Right when he was to get in the trailer he did the rear, turn to the right and run away - twice. Once he was in the trailer, Cathy "ace'd" him - twice. Sallie came along just to get Moonie out of the property. She was planning on riding him, but had second thoughts when his bad behavior abounded. She did get him off the trailer later on while we were there, and of course, he acted as if nothing had gone wrong.

So, Bella and I did the new Intro B test; had a nice score of 63.8, and got a 4th place ribbon. Our second test, Intro C, was only .3 lower and got a 2nd place with that score! SCORE! Bella did not fight me with the new tests; apparently, she likes them. Usually, when I try a different test than she's used to, she tries to tell me where to trot and where to canter. Sometimes, it's a good thing, but with the new tests, we both have to remember what to do next.

Dave's mother is getting better, very slowly. She has her moments when she wants to leave (and I don't blame her one bit). We're hoping she can get enough physical therapy and she can move a little on her own so she can go home. It is a big hope, though.

Jane, Dave's sister, came into town, wreaked havoc, and left everyone here to pick up the pieces of her mess that she made. I do believe we are done here.

Dave and I went to the MD Sheep & Wool Festival on Sunday; fortunately, it was nice weather and we got there early enough that by the time we left at 10:45, the crowds were beginning to arrive. Actually, some already arrived, and I was glad to be going in the opposite direction of everyone. The vendors were the same; however, I did buy some silk/merino yarn and some mohair to make a sweater (to be added to my list previously made), and electric blue silk/merino, which will be used as a lining underneath the lacy part of the sweater.

Since my earmuffs finally fell apart, I needed another pair. I was really worreid if I would be able to find anouther pair. Lucky me, there was a woman who made earmuffs and I was able to get a pair for the next winter. I'm not prepared for the cold weather.

As I was running outside the other day, I saw people with a sign, "Judgment Day is here; May 21 is the end of the world." Man! So much for the hair appointment I made for that day. I'm going to die with bad hair. Crap!

Dave and I will be celebrating 33 years of married life on May 20; it's a good thing it's the day before the end of the world.

My new running route (hopefully) will be to get down to Constitution Avenue, as I usually do, then find a way to get to the Jefferson Memorial. If not, I can always make it back to the Lincoln Memorial or maybe run along the Potomac River. It's time for a change.

List of My Projects Either In Progress or Waiting to Be Started and then Left In Progress for a Very Long Time

I've made a list of projects: (either in progress, not yet started, to be frogged and ones that are faint images far, far away)

1. Penny Straker - Galway Sweater, Back finished, working on first sleeve (still.
2. Ohio Knitting Mills - Father Knows Best Cardigan, Back finished, Left front finished; right front in progress (this is a very plain vanilla sweater, so it goes quickly) Best to knit while watching the TV. No pattern to follow (really), so no worries that the pattern goes awry.
3. Kit of 6 Mittens (shows the seasons of the year; From Knit Picks)- Yarn has been rolled into balls; Patterns have been photocopied; All I have to do is start knitting
4. I have fabric that I bought to make a jacket that has African-type designs, including three leopard panels and a panel with a variety of animals on it. I have the pattern, but the challenging part is piecing all of these panels together to make it all flow. So far, I have cut several strips of fabric to add to the leopard panels, but nothing sewn. I have done a lot of creative thinking on this so far, which is the hardest part of the entire project. Ha!
5. Cardigan with Dancing Ladies on it. I've started this project several times, and every time the design does not work out. I've tried following the pattern from right to left, which works on the right side, then left to right on the wrong side, and it does not work. I've started in different parts of the design, but still is not looking right. This project is getting very close to being frogged.
6. When (not If and I'm being optimistic here) I finish the Penny Straker cardigan, I want to make another one.

I have a quote in my sewing room: It's a long way from creation to completion.

Ain't that the truth?

Since I was not able to exercise for two days, my body is revolting. Well, not revolting in the sense it's disgusting (but that too), but in the sense that it is craving those endorphins. I'm sure I'll feel better, too, once I come back from the gym. Cardio sounds like a plan today, but it will have to be on the TM. I went out earlier to the post office, and it is cold out there!

Another thing I haven't done in awhile (because of the rain last week) is riding. The forecast doesn't look to wonderful for this Sunday, either.

This is becoming more of a running blog lately.

Ran outside on Monday because the weather was sunny and the temperature was somewhere in the 80s! Ran to the Lincoln Memorial, around it, and back to the office. Much longer route than when I go to the Washington Monument and back. If I do the Monument again, I'll have to figure out how to make it a little longer. Maybe go around it twice instead of once? I'll have to take that under consideration.

Yesterday and today I did the run/strength training/run routine. Tired, once again.

Dave's mother was in the rehab center getting physical therapy and yesterday we found out she dislocated her hip (of course,the one that she broke a few weeks ago). The doctor who first saw her at the hospital thought that maybe it could be popped back in, but the orthopedic doctor said, no, she has to have more surgery. Today, she is under the knife one more time and for a 92-year old, this is not a good thing.

Continuing work on my "plain vanilla" sweater when I came upon the pocket instructions. Apparently, I can't read. I read the directions about 3 times, and today I was ready to email the author of the book when BAM! it hit me and I realized what I was supposed to do. At least I didn't make a fool of myself in an email, but nonetheless, I have already complained to my knitter-friends that the instructions MUST BE WRONG! OK, I did make a fool of myself, but hardly publicly. Well, publicly now because I just posted this on the Internet. Dumb.....

You are SOOOoo Lucky.

Once again, I have forgotten my journal about the South Africa trip, and in addition, I've been busy at work. So, double luck to all.

The weather was so nice on Monday that I went outside and ran to the Washington Monument and back to the office. Of course, six million other people were outside, too, but I muddled through. As I was running back on the home stretch to the office, I saw a couple "smooching" on the street corner, and I could not resist saying, "Get a Room". The woman laughed as I sped by. I'm thinking it's a good thing I was running because who knows what repercussions could have happened.

So, today is Wednesday, and the weather forecast is looking fairly well. Should be in the mid-60s, so we'll see if I go outside today. I am getting quite annoyed with the TM and staring at the walls of the gym even though there are TVs there. Who wants to watch a) ESPN, b) CNN, c) HLN, or d) TNT with reruns? Anyway,everything is closed-captioned, and who can read all that stuff while trying to run? Not I, boy.

Day 3 Back at Work

and everything is the same as before. Of course, I didn't expect it to be any different, but a gal can hope, right?

Started back at the gym on Wednesday and took it easy. I walked for 10 minutes at 4.0-4,2, then ran for 10 minutes at 5.5-5.6, then walked again. Did 30 minutes and about 2.5 miles. Yesterday, I walked/ran for 10 minutes, did assorted upper and lower body exercises, then 10 minutes on the rowing machine on 8 resistance. Today, I'm hoping to up the ante and see how things go with running.

Forgot my journal,so everyone has lucked out.

I did take some knitting with me; a plain stockinette sweater and my Aran fisherman's sweater. I did work on both a little but, but once we hit South Africa it was just too darned hot to knit, even in the A/C. But, that's how I was able to work on my journal instead of knitting.

Tomorrow Sara and I are going to go XC schooling. Sara is doing a show on April 9, but I'm just going along for the fun of it. And it is fun.

Dave's mother is getting a little bit better. Oh, she fell and broke her hip while we were gone. She is 92, and the doctor said she had to have the surgery or she would be bed ridden. It's going to be a long row to hoe, but we are hoping she will recover.

Unfortunately for Sara, she ended up being to go-to person while we were gone. She did a fabuouls job and was able to take Dave's father to the hospital and to see some rehab facilities that Dave's mother has to go to for her physical therapy. But, now that we are back the responsibilities have been handed over to Dave.