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A Reward After a Tough Day

Posted on June 11, 2008 by auburnchick

Teenagers.

Need I say more?

Yesterday proved to be one of those trying days that so often accompanies the rearing of adolescents. I only have two. I cannot imagine trying to handle more than that. And now they are starting to join forces against me.

Oh sure…go ahead and laugh. You can laugh because you’re either through this stage or you have little ones and have no clue as to what I’m talking about. Just you wait.

You see, I am officially the World’s Meanest Mom. Now, don’t go thinking that you are sporting the tiara. Your’s is an imitation. I own the real thing. I hide it under my thick, curly hair.

Yesterday, Soccer Chick’s mouth got her into trouble, so I took the one thing I knew would matter…the ole cell phone. There are two things I cannot tolerate. Lying and disrespect. Chicky was disrespectful, so I took her prized possession. And she was not too pleased, let me tell you.

Well, the phone stayed with me, and she proceeded to act really weird after we got home. You know how you just KNOW when your child is up to no good? If you’re a parent, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Little clues that reveal their hidden plans, or so they think.

Well, I played along, giving her just enough space to do her thing. I hid the cell phone and walked around the house in a faked stupor. I didn’t have to act too hard cause that’s typically how I wander around…too much information in my brain…mommy brain…you know.

Anyhow, after an appropriate time had expired, I went in search of the phone. It was missing from it’s hiding place. And littlest chicklet was trying to look innocent.

WARNING…you are about to read about a side of AuburnChick that is not very nice. Stop reading if you feel you’ll have to hold this against me.

Back to the story…

I was livid! See, the kids have been trying to make me think I’m going crazy…moving things when I know I put them in a certain spot. Yeah…it’s very disconcerting.

So, when I questioned them about the phone, they acted like they knew nothing.

Was I born yesterday? Hello! I birthed these lying young-uns. I know every nuance of their personalities.

The only way I got them to fess up was to tell them to unpack their bags. They had plans to attend a church camp, and by golly, I wasn’t going to let them run over me. It only took about 30 seconds for the truth to come out. Soccer Chick had enlisted littlest Chicklet’s help to find her phone. And boy is he good. He retrieved the phone from the laundry basket, where he had thrown it when I barged in, catching the two of them in the act.

Let the yelling begin! Boy did I cut loose. Lying on top of being disobedient. I must have looked like a lunatic, but that’s about how I felt.

I am now the proud owner of two additional phones. I don’t know when kiddos will get them back. Whenever I decide, I guess.

And the night only went downhill from there. How far downhill? Far. Trust me. I am not going to share what happened next, but it wasn’t good. Let’s just say that I went to bed around 1:30am. Yeah, not a good night.

Despite all of that, Mr. AuburnChick decided to let the kids go to their camp. I pray that the Lord will zing them with a desire to be obedient. Wishful thinking, but I believe in miracles.

I managed to get myself to work today, traveling an hour to one of my company’s branch offices, where I fought with a computer for several hours. I’m a stubborn gal and do not succumb easily to defeat. In the end, that’s what happened.

Grrr…

In the process of venting to a gal in the office, she mentioned that she thought of me the other day when she passed a yarn store in town.

What’s this? The shop is only two miles from the office! Oh my goodness!

What in the world is the significance of this? Well, you see, to go to a good yarn store, I have to travel about an hour and a half. That’s right. That is why I get so giddy when I go out of town for soccer tournaments and find yarn stores. You’ve seen my other blog entries.

I visit this office at least once a week. I don’t like the drive and being so far from home. But to have a yarn store so close!!! THAT makes the drive worthwhile.

I called the yarn store first…

Ring, Ring

“Hello, this is AuburnChick from Podunk, USA. I’m a yarn snob and am hoping you carry good yarn. Please, pretty please tell me you do.”

“Hello Yarn Snob,” the lady says, “We carry many brands, such as Crystal Palace, Berroco…”

“Say no more! I’ll be there in two hours.”

And that’s just what I did. Boy am I glad that I don’t work full-time. I didn’t have to wait the entire day! And what lovely, lovely yarn there was in that store!!! Wow!

Going to a yarn store is like going to a petting zoo. Lots to touch…sensory overload but wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. After the previous afternoon’s antics and the day’s battle with technology, I needed this time.

Of course, I couldn’t leave without buying something. Darn. Well, not really. Here’s what I got…

The colorway is Tutti Fruitti. The colors are just amazing!  I will turn these into socks…one day…hopefully soon.

This is my first skein of Sockotta. I’ve seen some patterns on Ravelry that I would love to try — which one will it be??

What a wonderful way to ease the tensions.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , | 4 Comments »

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

Posted on June 9, 2008 by auburnchick

When going off of a juice fast, DO NOT eat your first meal at Steak & Shake.

Nuff said?? I didn’t think so.

As I said in my previous post, going out of town this weekend was extremely difficult on the psychological aspect of fasting. When you go out of town, you naturally expect to eat out.

Sunday, after we left the last training session, Soccer Chick and I headed home. I was hungry. I finally decided that since it was the tenth day of my fast, I could stop. I had originally planned on doing it for ten days anyhow. So, I got the younger Chick to pull my pineapple from the cooler. I had a plastic fork on hand, so I dug in. After about five bites, I could feel my stomach working. Amazing. It wasn’t the best feeling, but I knew it was going to happen eventually.

From there, it was like the floodgates had been opened. I started thinking about cheese fries. Yep, weird, but that’s what I wanted. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted them. It became a fixation.

“Soccer Chick, are you hungry yet?”

“No, Mama, I’m not. Let’s go further before stopping.”

Fifteen minutes later…

“Soccer Chick, are you hungry yet?”

“No, Mama…drive on.”

Grrr…

We stopped to pee, and I think that stretching out her body helped her realize that she did, in fact, have an empty stomach.

“Mama, I’m hungry now.”

Great. Only an hour and a half until the next real city. THE city that had the cheese fries that I just HAD TO HAVE.

We finally got there, and I eagerly ordered a chicken sandwich and those wonderful fries…to go. Can you believe that I almost left without them? I remembered to check the bag and realized that they forgot to put them in. Back into the place I go for my fries. Must satisfy the craving, you know.

I get myself settled, spread the cheese over them, and am in heaven.

For about ten minutes.

Uh oh. I realize, very quickly, that I’ve made a terrible mistake. I’ve eaten half of my sandwich and about one-third of the fries. I feel a knot in my middle. And there it sits, not moving.

Two more hours to drive. The knot stayed there the entire way.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

I know better. Raw foods for three days while still juicing…to allow your body to slowly acclimate to eating and digesting again.

Sigh…

I cannot believe that I displayed such willpower for ten days and then totally blew it like that.

I woke up in the middle of the night thinking I was going to be sick. The grease got to me. Fortunately, I managed to go back to sleep without getting out of bed. But, I went through most of the day with that heavy feeling in my tummy.

So, I thought I would go back on the juice fast for a few more days…get things cleaned out and start back like I’m supposed to. I drank water the entire day.

Darn…I needed groceries, and Soccer Chick drove me. She’s getting her drivers license in a couple of weeks and needs the practice.

Why oh why did the store have to put Cheez Its on sale? Buy One Get One Free. We got through with our shopping and couldn’t get into those boxes fast enough.

The funny thing about juicing is that when you start eating again, things taste weird. I think that you actually taste things like they really are. Those Cheez Its tasted like cardboard. Younger Chick thought they were heavenly. Not me. But the few I had were enough to give me that bad feeling in my tummy. I munched on a bit of fresh pineapple when we got home, which worked its magic on my innards.

Finally, I started feeling like my old self. I had a small plate of dinner and am awaiting the results. I’m not used to my stomach being full. I think it shrank during the fast. Good. I’m going to keep up with the small meals and make up some juice tomorrow — try to keep my body on the healthy track I put it on.

So, the moral of the story is Do As I Say and Not As I Do.

In the knitting realm, this weekend proved productive. I finished two projects…the blanket and the chemo cap for my friend.

I received another blanket in the mail today…Jewelry Box. I need to pick my yarn and stitch and get working!

Oh yeah, and I received this in the mail today…

It was hand spun for me by KnittingHelp.com buddy.  It really is pretty!  I can’t wait to find the perfect project for it.

Filed under: Knitting, This-n-That | Tagged: , , | 4 Comments »

AuburnChick is Frustrated

Posted on June 6, 2008 by auburnchick

Yep…I’m frustrated. I’m frustrated with a knitting project, and I’m frustrated with the juice fasting.

First, the juice fasting. All is going well. I’m almost done with Day 8, and I’m feeling a little better each day. I blew my nose very few times today, and I’m coughing fairly infrequently as well. I believe the juice is doing its job, albeit slowly. However, I have a feeling that the virus I’ve had has delayed the start of any real detoxification. Of course, the expelling of “stuff” from my nose and mouth might be a sign of detox. These cavities were designed for just such a purpose.

However, I’m finding that this is starting to become an emotional battle. One of the lessons I learned the last time I fasted was that food is an emotional crutch. We really do not need nearly as much food as we think we do. We can be lured simply by the idea of eating something. This is where I’m starting to struggle.

This morning found me completely, unexpectedly, rearranging my weekend plans. Mr. AuburnChick had to work today. Soccer Chick has soccer training in central Florida, and he had planned on driving her. I had planned on working from home to get her to another father who was going to drive her down with the Mr. meeting up with her later tonight. The Mr’s job assignment got pushed later than originally planned, so we decided that I would go instead. This totally made me happy because I got out of work for the day, thanks to a very understanding supervisor.

However, reality quickly set in. With only one hour to plan, shower, and pack, I went nuts. Plus, how in the world was I going to continue my juice fast? No problem, I’ll bring everything with me. Oh, and I couldn’t forget my knitting either. Here’s one pile of stuff that was waiting to be packed…

That’s my clothes, knitting bag (the blue one), laptop bag, and a couple of other things…1/10th of what needed to be put in the car. While my laptop was downloading the newest podcasts from my favorite shows (I figured it would be a good time to catch up during the drive), Soccer Chick grumpily helped me pack my produce in the cooler. I gathered all of my juicing tools. That stuff alone took up almost half of the back of the car.

After eight hours in the car, and having only drank a couple of bottles of water, I started getting grumpy. It didn’t help that we stopped at a Beef O’Brady’s on the way. We have one at home, and it’s one of my favorite places to eat. I absolutely love buffalo chicken wings with Ranch dressing. I ordered my glass of water with a determined look on my face. Fortunately, work interfered to distract me. While the girls were eating (we’re taking another player and was following another gal and her dad), I pulled out the laptop and checked in with work. I discovered a problem there that required a few phone calls. I stepped outside and finished up just as the girls finished eating. Perfect timing. I didn’t have to sit and watch them eat.

We finally got to our hotel, and I realized that I needed a few things from the grocery store. “Mama, please stop at Outback to pick us up something for dinner,” Soccer Chick asks.

Great.

I love blooming onions.

Sigh.

I started thinking about food. I had not had my juice yet, and all I wanted was a basket of chips and salsa from the Chili’s I saw across the street.

As soon as I got back to the room, I made my juice. This is a first for me. Juicing on the road. Fortunately, it went quickly, the girls had some apple/orange/pineapple juice, and I even got two glasses of carrot juice made.

So, I’m really fighting this from a mental standpoint, not a physical one.

Knitting-wise, I’m also frustrated. I received this Oddball Baby Blanket in the mail last week.

It’s called Racecar Alley. I’m working on the red portion at the top. The frustration is that I cannot find a good pattern for my four inches. I’ve tried being creative, but nothing is coming to mind. I found a NASCAR logo on the internet, and I’m trying to knit it, but it’s just not looking right, so I’m going to frog this.

I usually love working on these blankets, but this one has me stumped. I want it to be cute.

Grrr…

I’ll probably just do this in garter stitch and send it on its way.

Meanwhile, I started another chemo cap. This one will be for my daughter’s friend’s mom. She started chemo this week and thought she might fare well…until her second day. She’s been feeling poorly the last few days, and I fear that the next thing to happen will be the loss of her hair. So, I need to get this done quickly. Here’s my progress so far…not much, but at least it’s a start…

One other project I want to get completed soon is another pair of Greenaway Fingerless Gloves. One of my closest friends just found out she has a mass at the base of her brain. She will be heading to UAB for a consultation with the surgeon in charge. A few weeks ago, she saw the other pair of gloves I had made for a gal we work with (we work at the same place), and she had commented how she would love a pair in pink yarn. Well, silly me went right online and ordered more of the Alchemy Sanctuary that I’m so fond of…getting pink for her and Platinum for the other pair. Her appointment is on Wednesday. I want to give them to her beforehand.

Well, that’s it for now…I’m off to drink another glass of carrot juice.

Filed under: Knitting, This-n-That | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

AuburnChick is a Juicing Fiend

Posted on June 3, 2008 by auburnchick

I apologize for the delay in posts, but I’m still under the weather. This bug is doing a number on me, I tell you.

Unfortunately, Monday came upon me and duty called. Must work or I can’t pay the bills. With Tuesday on it’s way out the door, I’m starting to feel a teeny bit better, so I thought I would take a few minutes to blog.

I’m on Day 5 of my juice fast. I had not experienced many hunger pangs until this afternoon when I left work. For some reason, I felt extremely hungry. I hope that’s a good sign that a) I’m starting to get better and b) that detoxing is happening.

Two years ago when I did this, I went through about three days of hunger pangs, and then they subsided. This go-round has been a lot different. I think that the difference is that I am fighting a virus. It’s the kind where you don’t feel like eating much anyway. The other thing I’ve noticed is that my tongue doesn’t feel nasty and isn’t all white, like before. These are signs of detox. My breath was slightly bad this morning, but was probably just my normal self.

So, I’ve got a ways to go. I truly believe I’m going to be on this fast much longer than I originally planned.

I thought I would post my recipes for carrot juice and fruit juice. I took some pictures during the process today.

What you see pictured below is all the fixin’s for two 8oz glasses of juice. When making this juice, always make sure that carrots are your base. Carrots have so much nutritional value…beta carotene, vitamin C…the list goes on and on. The other ingredients are totally optional, but they are the things that, over the years, I’ve found are tried and true (and satisfy the palette of picky children).

Now, remember that these ingredients are for TWO glasses. Adjust your numbers accordingly.

You see ten carrots, one slice of cantaloupe, 1/4 cucumber, 1/2 red apple, one celery stalk, and a handful of spinach. Make sure you peel and de-rind the produce.

Now, let’s start juicing!

The pulp will be deposited in one location while the juice comes out of another. I will usually feed some of the pulp back into the juicer to extract the remaining juice. This stuff costs money, and I don’t want to waste a penny!

When you’re done, you’ll have this…

I like to think of it as Liquid Gold. The stuff at the top is foam. It will get caught in your strainer. Why use a strainer after? Because there is a little bit of pulp that will escape into the juice. For a smoother juice, always strain.

I use the Ball canning jars to measure out 8oz. Many years ago, I went to the grocery store and bought a box of them for a really good price. Why 8oz, though? In the book, Recipes for Life from God’s Garden (Rhonda Malkmus), I read that a body can only efficiently use 8oz at a time, so why waste the effort on more? Did you know that for every 8oz of carrot juice, you’re getting the equivalent of one pound of carrots? Wow! We would never eat that during the course of a day. Allow at least one hour between glasses of juice.

Now, on to the fruit juice. You’re really supposed to “drink your veggies and eat your fruits,” but I like to do fruit juices to clean out the breathing apparatus. I’ve often given it to Soccer Chick when she’s been sick (she’s had a lot of croup and allergy problems over the years), and she’s always gotten better within two days of drinking it.

My recipe for apple/orange juice is 1/2 to 1 whole red apple, two oranges (or one large), one slice of pineapple, and 1/2 lemon. Remember to peel all items.

Feel free to throw in other items, such as grapes. I’ve done this, and it tastes terrific! When done, you’ll have the following:

Strain it to remove the remaining pulp, and you’re good to go.

So, that’s how I’m surviving right now. I’m actually thinking of laying off of the fruit juice and sticking mainly to the carrot juice. Fruit contains a lot of natural sugar, and I don’t want to inhibit my body further.

Oh, and a side benefit to all of this is that I am losing weight. Now, I’m already a small gal, but I do have some flab, and I’ve recently noticed things not fitting like they usually do. Don’t hate me…small bodies are in my genes. I don’t know how much I weighed before I started, but I know that there’s no way I weighed what the scale proudly declared today. The thing about juice fasting is that your body levels out at its optimal weight, given enough time.

Enough about juicing.

I didn’t knit yesterday, but I did the day before, completing Rainbow Joy II, an Oddball Baby Blanket that’s part of the KnittingHelp.com project. This blanket is being done in all garter stitch. I knit the green portion.

I’m going to start on Racecar Alley next. I got a pattern for a car from a knitter who worked on a similar blanket (heavier weight project). You know I’ll post pictures when I’m done.

Filed under: Knitting, This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

AuburnChick is Under the Weather But Still Knitting

Posted on May 31, 2008 by auburnchick

Boy, this has been an interesting week. Work-wise, it’s been fine. Health-wise…not so good. I have developed some sort of upper respiratory ailment that my body is having a hard time fighting. It’s run the gamut from the sore throat to a stuffy nose and wet cough. I’m frustrated. I hate going to the doctor, and I just cannot stand taking antibiotics. The last time I took them, my stomach was so upset.

So, I’m going to fight this like the strange girl I am…with fresh juice. I’ve decided to go on a juice fast. Sounds drastic, I know, but you have no idea how poorly I’ve been feeling.

This will be my second time fasting. I’m aiming for a minimum of ten days

Did I just hear you fall out of your chair? Ten days?? Yep. It’s really not as bad as it seems.

The first two or three days are pretty rotten. You have the non-eating headache, but that passes. Your body starts feeling achy, but that passes too. What happens is that your body, freed from the burden of processing food, can now focus on damage control…something it rarely has the time or energy for. You find yourself needing less sleep, and your energy level grows by leaps and bounds. The longer you fast, the more healing happens. Healing happens from the newest aches and pains to the oldest. I’ve read of people who fasted long enough to feel, temporarily, old knee or back pain return, then go away for good. This is a good site if you’re interested in reading more.

I’m making freshly extracted fruit and vegetable juices. I have a Champion Juicer…purchased several years ago. It’s one of the best juicers you can buy…not available at Target or Walmart but at most true nutrition/health food stores. It masticates the produce (i.e. mashes the juice, invoking very little heat and thus preserving the nutritional value).

I used to be much better with my eating and juicing habits. I made fresh carrot juice every morning for my family, and I watched everything that went into their mouths. Very little sugar and processed food was allowed into their bodies. I’ve slackened a bunch due to laziness and the expense that accompanies healthier eating. I’m getting back on board the Train of Healthy Eating.

Yesterday was the first day, and it wasn’t too bad. I’ve been feeling so poorly that whatever ickiness might have felt from the fast just doesn’t seem so bad. The next couple of days will probably be difficult. I’ll get through them. And I’m not even tempted by the cake I made for youngest chicklet’s birthday (Shout out to the Boy, who turned 14 yesterday). Nor was I tempted by the brownies I made for Soccer Chick and her friend last night. Nope. I’m on a mission.

Despite being sick, I have managed to complete another project. Last night, I cast off my third pair of Greenaway Fingerless Gloves. I used Alchemy Sanctuary, colorway Platinum. Each time I’ve knit these gloves, I’ve done something a little differently. This go-round, I wound up knitting an extra round on one needle, leaving it a bit wop-sided when I cast off. I tried to fix it the best I could, and I didn’t repeat the mistake on the mate. They actually turned out quite well despite my boo-boo.

These are for Knitting_Guy’s mom…the lady I made the cap for (previous post). I think she’ll like them. They are so soft. Smooth as silk, and warm too.

What’s next, you ask? I’m working on two Oddball Baby Blankets. I received them in the mail this week and should be receiving one more next week. I’m going to try to get them done quickly so I can cast on another no-hair chemo cap for my daughter’s friend’s mom. She starts chemotherapy this week.

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A Cap for Ms. Jean

Posted on May 29, 2008 by auburnchick

I love finishing projects!!! What a feeling of accomplishment, no matter the size.

This week found me knitting up a chemo cap for Knitting_Guy’s mom. He is a member of Knitting Help and Ravelry. He has two blogs…this one and this one.

He has contributed many posts on KH, and is simply adored by all. I remember when he first joined the site and started teaching himself to knit. His first scarf was full of mistakes, but he plugged on. Now he’s working on his first sweater. I’ve never even made a sweater. Wow!

What makes Knitting_Guy so endearing is that he is a trucker. He’s not afraid to knit wherever he stops. As a result, he has had some interesting experiences, which he has shared with his fellow KH’ers.

Anyhow, Knitting_Guy shared that his mom was going to be starting her second round of chemotherapy, so a bunch of us have joined forces to knit some goodies together for one big care package for her. Some of the knitters are working on squares that one member will seam up and another will crochet a border for. What a wonderful group of people. I’m honored to be counted among them.

When I went to KnitWitz in Jacksonville, I shopped with the main purpose of buying yarn for a hat. I wanted to make the No-Hair-Day Hairy Chemo Cap. My version does not look like the picture in the pattern due to the yarn I used. I used Rowan Calmer 482 (Powder Puff) stranded with Eyelash Trendsetter Yarns, color #12. The eyelash yarn is different from the FIZZ recommended in the pattern. However, I really like the yarn. It knit up well and is very soft.

I used magic loop because I didn’t have the right size dpns. It was a fast knit, and although I would have liked for it to turn out like the picture (I’m weird in that way), I still like it. It kind of reminds me of a Go-Go skirt.

I’m going to begin work on a pair of fingerless gloves to accompany the hat. This project is so addicting! It’s been a lot of fun thinking of items that will bring a smile to Ms. Jean’s face.

This is the best part of knitting.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Yarn Porn from Jacksonville

Posted on May 24, 2008 by auburnchick

Hooray, hooray! AuburnChick went shopping!!! It’s pretty sad when I scout out yarn stores when we go out of town, but that’s exactly what I do. I got up bright and early this morning, GPS in hand,and made my way to KnitWitz, a “real” yarn store in Jacksonville. What a delightful store!!! Here’s what it looked like when I walked in…

To be fair, I justified my visit with the need to buy yarn for the chemo caps I am getting ready to make for a couple of people.

Here’s the Rowan Calmer that I plan on stranding with the Trendsetter eyelash yarn to make this pattern.

I bought this color (same brands as above) to make a cap for my daughter’s friend’s mom…the same gal I made the comfort throw for. She starts chemo the first week of June.

Now, here’s where I went off track a bit. Being in a real yarn store, and never having access to one, made me feel totally okay with buying the rest of what you’ll see.

I bought solid sock yarn because I’ve only made socks with striping or variegated yarn. There are many patterns that I’ve stayed away from because I just knew that the colors would hide all of the hard work.

This is Lorna’s Laces, and the colorway is Periwinkle. It is so pretty! I’ve finally, finally learned that you have to buy two skeins of this brand of yarn to make calf-length socks. Each skein is only 50g!

The next yarn is Berroco Comfort Sock. It’s either white or creme. Yeah, it seems like a “blah” color, but I think that everybody needs a pair of white socks, and I can already envision some lovely lace pattern.

Now, the neat thing about this store is that just when you think you’ve seen everything, you haven’t. As I got to the back, and I touched everything, I found myself fondling some very soft yarn. I picked it up to check the label, and lo and behold – Malabrigo! This is the first time I’ve actually seen it at a store! Remember that one of my KH buddies sent me some not too long ago, so it’s not the first time I’ve touched the stuff. But, I’ve never actually visited a yarn store that had it stocked! I fell in love with this color – Water Green. It is the same color as my first prom dress.

I left the store a bit poorer but richer in spirit.

Off I went to watch Soccer Chick play a game. Now, I never thought I would find it too hot to knit. I am cold-natured. But I have to say that today was the hottest day of soccer that I’ve sat through this season. I pulled out the Tidal Wave socks that I’ve been feverishly trying to finish but found myself unable to knit more than a couple of rounds before setting it aside.

However, I did elect to stay at the hotel while everyone went to dinner. I really wanted to finish these socks…and I DID!!! Lookie…

Please allow me to apologize for the absolutely horrible picture! Since I’m out of town, I don’t have my wonderful Ott Light, which allows for natural lighting and true colors to pop out.

The important thing is that the socks are done! So, a rundown on the sock stats. I used size 1 (2.50mm) circular needles (one 24″ and one 16″). The yarn is Tofutsies, color #799. Here is the link for the free pattern. It’s fabulously easy. I didn’t even use the chart for the second sock. I modified the pattern by continuing the pattern repeats down the top of the foot. I knit six pattern repeats down the leg and then six more from the instep to the beginning of the toes.

Tomorrow, I’ll cast on for the first of the two chemo caps. These will be a first for me…and I’m nervous about the eyelash yarn getting in the way of the knitting. But I trust that God will honor my desire to serve Him, even in this small endeavor, and will allow me to knit the caps without too much difficulty.

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One Down, One To Go

Posted on May 20, 2008 by auburnchick

Wow! Life’s been hectic the last few days!

I stayed up late Friday night and finished the first Tidal Wave sock.

I had to try it on, even though it’s a little too big since Chicklet’s friend has 9 1/2 size feet!

When I turned the heel, the yarn either changed colors or appeared to because of the slip-stitch heel called for in the pattern. I don’t know if you can tell, but the yarn, at this point, is absolutely vibrant — totally different from the leg.

I fully intended to spend Saturday and Sunday knitting up the mate, but regular house work got in the way.

Whatever would AuburnChick be doing that would take her away from knitting, you might ask. Well..enter in Mr. AuburnChick

Why, oh why, do men think they can go for years without caring one iota about the yard and then, Presto, Change-O, in one fell swoop, stick their noses in and wreak havoc?

These…

used to be here…

and here…

I didn’t get a picture of the mini-tree-like-things that were also in these flower beds. Mr. Chick went out, bought a saw, and cut them down to nubs and attempted to shovel them out. In the process, he managed to pull something in his back, leaving one huge hole and a mess that, guess who, had to clean up.

Grrr…

Yes, folks, I had to use my pristine knitting hands to finish what that over-ambitious man-thing had started. I even told him that I had better not mess up my knitting hands…I had a sock to finish on a very short deadline.

No such luck.

My hands were a wreck afterwards. I had to dig moats around each plant, breaking as many of the roots as possible before partially disabled He-Man could pick up the shovel and finish the job, with me lifting each plant, allowing him to strike at the remaining roots, freeing them one-by-one.

I was done knitting for the next two days. My right palm was very bruised.

Sigh…

I did pick up the sock today and managed to finish almost two full pattern repeats during Littlest Chick’s athletic awards ceremony. The pattern is so easy that I have it memorized. I’ve decided that I won’t have time to block them. I’ll simply be thrilled to hand them over when I’m done. I have lots more projects in the works!

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , | 4 Comments »

Progress

Posted on May 16, 2008 by auburnchick

Well, despite the rough start to the week and the fact that I worked many extra hours, I did manage to get more of the Tidal Wave sock completed. Here’s how it stands at six repeats:

My daughter’s soccer friend has long legs, so I had to knit one more repeat than the pattern suggested. My goal is to get this sock done this weekend and finish the second one by Wednesday or Thursday. We leave next Friday for a tournament, and I want to gift them then. Actually, I should probably finish by Wednesday so I can block them. Grrr. I do not block socks, but I will do the right thing…think about presentation. Forget the fact that they are Tofutsies…lovely color by the way…it’s all in the presentation.

I was also a bad girl last week. I ordered more yarn <gulp>. Don’t tell Mr. AuburnChick, okay?

Lookie what came in yesterday. Thank goodness Little Mr. Chickadee’s swim meet was canceled. I was able to head off the UPS guy and hide my prize.

Yes…it’s more of the Alchemy Sanctuary that I am totally in love with. The one on the left is called Ruby, and the one on the right is called Platinum. I bought the pink one for a friend who liked the color when she saw it online (she also liked the Greenaway Fingerless Gloves that I made for our co-worker). So, not wanting to waste all of that shipping cost, I ordered another skein. Getting more for my money, you see.

Despite the fact that I was having a bad week, Pele (Soccer Chick’s dog) did not have a care in the world.

Must be great to be a dog…in my house anyway.

Doggie training camp is going well…for Molly anyway. She’s turning out to be a smart dog, despite Mr. AuburnChick’s declaration that she was stupid. He said this when I first brought her home, over his objections. I think the word stupid meant stupid-cute.

Off I go to work on the heel flap of these socks. More later…

Filed under: Knitting, This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

A Tuesday Worthy of Chocolate

Posted on May 14, 2008 by auburnchick


Pictures speak louder than words.

Tuesday was not the best day. I was greeted at work by a friend bearing a bag of M&M’s. Out of the blue. Very much like my friend. She loves dark chocolate. I’m a milk chocolate kind of gal. Common denominator? Chocolate. The perfect base for friendship. We have a way of bringing chocolate goodies to each other at just the right time. I can see God’s hand in what might seem trivial matters to some people. Chocolate is not trivial to me.

Especially on days like Tuesday.

Without going into details, it was just one of those days. I was glad to get home. However, upon finding out that a new employee was starting the next day (yep…very short notice), I spent the entire evening prepping their computer…remotely from home. Thank goodness for technology. Thank goodness for chocolate.

We had a new gal start in our office this week (a different person from who’s starting on Wednesday), so we took her out to lunch. What a treat for me! I never take lunch since I work part-time. The lure of Mexican food was too much to resist. I quickly jumped in my car and followed my boss.

She started going the back way to the restaurant. I followed blindly. However, when we started pulling up to a seafood restaurant, I got concerned. Surely they wouldn’t have changed the restaurant without calling me to make sure I knew? She had no way of knowing that I was following her.

However, the car I was following passed the restaurant. Now I knew that something was not right.

“Ring, Ring…”

“Hello, boss. Where are you?”

“At the Mexican restaurant, of course!”

Great. I followed the wrong car. Good thing this city is so small. I was there in no time, embarrassed. What kind of impression was I making on the new gal? “Oh, it’s just AuburnChick…you know…”

My bad day extended into my home life.

I’m working very hard to get my dogs trained properly. This has been on my mind since my first attempt to take all three to the dog kennel. See this post if you haven’t heard this story. Let’s just say that I could do the Iditorod with my dogs.

I’ve read that dogs need to be walked…a couple of times a day. Simply running around the backyard is not ample exercise. So, I’m trying to be a good mommy and walk the dogs properly. Easier said than done.

Yesterday, I went to the bookstore and bought this:

In case you don’t know who this man is, he is the Dog Whisperer. I’ve seen some of his shows, and I’m amazed at how quickly the dogs respond to him. The biggest thing about his training, however, is that the owners are actually the ones being trained. Boy, do I need training!

Ever since Pele joined our family, we’ve allowed ourselves to be controlled by our most adorable furry family members. Aubie, in true first-born fashion, was never allowed on the furniture. We were strict with her, and she is the best behaved dog in the world. Not so with Pele and Molly.

So, we’re doing doggie boot camp. We’re starting with walking. You would think that walking a dog is easy. Wrong-O! Molly and I only made it around the cul-de-sac. Walk, stop (when she pulls), make her sit, treat. Walk, stop, make her sit, treat. Over and over and over. I can’t even begin to imagine what the neighbors must have been thinking. Hopefully something like, “Boy, that lady sure loves her dog a lot.” Good mommies make their children behave, whether they are the two legged or four legged kind.

Regardless, my hands are sore from the leash, so knitting has been slow the last couple of days.

After coming in from our training session, I checked dinner, which was in the crockpot. BBQ beef sandwiches were on the menu. Mouth watering, I looked at the meat. Hmmm…it looks…a little pink…

My hands carefully touch the side of the crockpot. Cold. A look at the front assures me that the thing is turned on low. But what’s this? The cord…it’s not plugged into the outlet.

Sigh…

What a dork. I forgot to plug it in.

Sigh…

A whole roast ruined. I had even doubled the sauce mix too because it is so delicious. All that $$ gone down the drain.

So, the kids were reminded of how great it is to have me cooking again and to not take it for granted. They actually took it in stride, which pleased me.

The fact that this happened today just did not surprise me.

Thank goodness for the goodies pictured at the top of this post.

Oh, and here’s a knitting update. I have managed to complete almost three repeats of the Tidal Wave socks for my daughter’s teammate. Here’s how they look so far.

I am using Tofutsies, color #799. It’s a fabulous pattern…very easy.

So, on to Wednesday. Hopefully I won’t have to eat the whole bag of M&M’s. I can’t make any promises though.

Filed under: Knitting, Pets, This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

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