Ahhhhh... Summertime!

It's been awhile! Finished that first 4-week Stats class with flying colors. Hoping to get a few tutoring gigs this next year-- I just love that stuff! Meantime, I've been busy learning how to relax. Along those lines, here are a few knitting projects! This first shawl, cheesy ole Red Heart on size 13's, is modeled by our little buddy Purl:



And next we have 2 not-quite-finished designs done in fancy shmancy yarn. The turquoise is silk-wool I hand-dyed in a class over Spring Break, along with a ladder yarn. I still have 1 side left to fringe. The blue is Patagonia hand-spun/dyed cotton and so soft it should've been a critter:



Currently on the needles is an experimental cape/shawl, sort of shaped like bat wings, but if we publish it I'm sure we'll call them butterfly wings. It'd look great in silk, or cotton, or heck, it looks great in cheesy ole Red Heart!

Life-wise, I just got done with a great Psychodrama workshop, am really excited about the method-- it seems to work "ground up" instead of like cognitive-behavioral where we're always having to think think think to make connections & changes in our lives. Doing some more research on substance abuse treatment. And I'm back on the literal treadmill again, too. Will hit the pool when it's economically feasible. I don't see paying $4 to go in and putter around for 1/2 a mile! I'm sure my first week back will be like that, but I'm trying to get a jump-start on the stamina first. And I have a container garden going! If the dang raccoons leave it alone. Went out this morning and the only pots not overturned were the squash, which I'm totally grateful for since I got the seeds from Jane with the hope of propagating the species! In fact, I think I'll go out there now with some chickenwire and get creative. Maybe a car battery, too...

I are a college graduate!

I DID IT! (Okay, WE did it-- it took an extended village...) After 31 years of college, I finally got my BA! No rest for the wicked, though-- I start grad school in Counseling Psych tomorrow. Stats, one of my favorite classes, because it relates to everything and I can legitimately think KNITTING in class! I think my instructor might be a knitter, too, if I remember the interviews right.

No new news at home. Life is very boring right now, thank goodness. I got my 25 year chip, that was news. And I'm finishing my first ever knit lace (worsted-weight ribbon yarn, bottom part of a tee-sweater). I messed up the 2nd row, decided to change the pattern to fit, think I like it better. Progress, not perfection, and glad of it!

Spring Break Broke

You appear to be a Knitting Goddess.
You are constantly giving and are unconcerned with

reward, you simply want others to love

knitting as much as you do. If someone wants

to knit miles of novelty yarns, you are there

for them. If someone wants to learn short row

shaping, you can help. There are no taboos in

knitting, only opportunities to grow.

Everyone should have friend like you around

if they want to learn to knit, and there's a

good chance that your passion has rubbed off

on a few others.
http://marniemaclean.com


What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Ooo, I'm a Knitting Goddess, too! Now what kind of goddess gets the flu?

It's Spring Break and the only good part about being sick is I'm actually reading for fun (WEB Griffin). Though I could be doing the same thing if I were at the beach or something! No new pics-- I'm too wiped. For those of you following Purl, she's gettign weekly dips for this rash or mites or whatever it is, but she's still a happy little camper.

Latest projects: Fake Cable Brimmed Hat, blue-stripey socks (just finished sock1). Hat pattern to follow:

Fake Cable Brimmed Hat Semi-Unpattern

Gauge: heavy worsted (or 2 strands to make HW) & size 10-11 DPN's or circs.
Works best in a medium to light color non-fancy (as I found out through experience), though hand-painted would work.

RT: Right twist (k into front of 2nd stitch, then k 1st stitch like usual, slip both).
LT: Left twist (k into back of 2nd stitch, then k into 1st stitch like usual, slip both. A little awkward, don't pull too tight on that 1st k).

Brim: CO 14.
1: p3, k8, p3.
2: p across.
3: p3, RT, LT, RT, LT, p3.
4: p across.
Repeat until brim encircles your head comfortably. Kitchner with cut end.

Crown: PU around. (I got 60 st when I did that, FYI...) Knit about 4". Divide stitches evenly in 4 batches (fudge by dec'ing 1-3 stitches evenly around a couple rows previously, if necessary) if you hadn't already done so using DPN's.
1st dec: k2tog 4 times around evenly. K 2 rows afterwards with no decs.
2nd dec: k2tog 4 times around evenly. K 1 row afterwards without dec'ing.
3rd through 6th decs: k2tog 4 times around evenly, dec'ing every row.
7th through last dec: k2tog twice (right next to each other) every row.
You may have to k2tog the last row just once instead of twice.
Thread remaining stitches on cut end (at least 8" long) stuck on a tapestry needle, knot on the inside & bury ends.

Happy Holidays!

Meet Purl, our newest member! Purl was rescued by Mary Beth, another Stitch-n-Bitcher, who brought her to the vet directly from the neighbor's deck after the nasty/idiot person left town for a week's vacation, leaving a kitten out in a winter storm! Purl has a few disabilities, but nothing like when we first saw her. She's a bit unstable on her feet in slow-motion and may be blind in one eye, but she definitely makes up for it when she sees a crumpled piece of paper and goes into afterburner! Funny how you can buy them expensive toys but all they want is the wrapping paper...

Speaking of, it's almost Winter Break! The semester's just about over! I'm supposed to be tweaking the thesis proposal today, woke up with a cascade of brilliance that rapidly winked out as I raised the shades and got snow-blinded by the backyard. Turkeys galore under the birdie tree, BTW, for our wildlife fans. Anyway, I'll be turning in the proposal on Monday, by hook or by crook! The reference section is as long as the paper itself, and I still need 3 more to back up parts of the innards. The presentation's this next Friday. I'm not very nervous-- all that practice in class and then going before the IRB (ethics review board) has given me confidence. It's a bit obvious by now that I know more about the subject than most of the people I'm speaking to. And it's interesting, showing how the brain heals over time. Okay, not HOW; but if, when & where. The when part's the most exciting as far as applications go. Already I've been able to use it doing assessments on recovering substance abusers, knowing that they're probably not making the full connections between events and consequences, being able to use more guided questions in those areas, which not only fills in the research blanks but also helps the clients realize the ramifications of their substance abuse. And it gives people hope that they WILL get better. But I blather on as if I had no impulse control...

I hope everybody has a wonderful holiday season this year! I'll be working at the internship and the lab up until Xmas, but I've got a week off between that and New Year's!!! Will attempt to drag myself out of bed and post a bit with some friends, maybe get a few more pictures loaded.

Until then, may your holidays be filled with friends, and may your hearts be filled with gratitude. And if anyone needs a boost in their holiday spirit, may you fill a few hours with service to others. There's nothing like passing a gift on to truly appreciate having it in the first place.

Just for Fun

Your Element is Water

Your power colors: blue and aqua Your energy: deep Your season: winter Like the ocean, you evoke deep feelings and passion. You have an emotional, sensitive, and spiritual soul. A bit mysterious, you tend to be quiet when you are working out a problem. You need your alone time, so that you can think and dream.

What Element Are You?

Merrily we slog along...

Midterm update: UGH! This is the semester from H-E-double-toothpicks! No one thing itself is overwhelming, but 12 hour days and the flu-bug just make it rough. At least most of the papers are done or well on their way. Almost done with the IRB (review board) proposal, which pretty much sets up my experiment (Recovery of Cognitive Functions in Abstinent Substance Abusers) and "self-writes" the first part of my thesis! And the new internship at Chrysalis House is amazing. So many new doors opening, so many of them connected! Psi Chi (I'm veep) is doing a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity next spring, and Joan the housing coordinator at Chrysalis gave me a bunch of info, said she'd help after she finishes the housing fair next week; I helped her put the media packets together. Also, I'm gathering those horrible little styrofoam peanuts from the Psych department for beanbag chairs for the kids' reading nook at Chrysalis day care. Meantime, I got my apps in for grad school: Clinical Psych (PhD only), Counseling Psych (PhD & MA backup), & MFT (2-year MA in Marriage & Family Therapy, just in case, but also valuable/interesting!) Waiting for the last of the transcripts to arrive.



Yarny update: The patterns are up on the Wool Peddler site! I really like the lightning bolt scarf-- it's just jazzy, very unisex (how's that for an old hippie word) and easy/fun. Saw some similar versions in yarn catalogs, look the same, patterns I tried & discarded 'cause ours is much easier! And the Kimaya bag is really practical. I hope she sends it back or I'll need to make another one. The self-striping-sock-yarn crocheted cardigan is coming along-- almost too big to carry with me anymore. It's back to socks, or I'm dallying with the idea of a new Aibhlinn or a long-wise scarf/shawl out of the turquoise hand-dyed silk/wool. I'd prefer the Aibhlinn, but don't know if I have enough yarn and don't want to do a stripey thing, though a spiral would be cool!

Family update: Some people know Mom was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. She's got another surgery this coming week, has lost 12 lbs in the last 2 weeks, but some of that is because they sent her to a nutritionist and put her on a diabetic diet. We're still waiting to hear about chemo/radiation, probably chemo. We were planning on having her out here for the holidays, but we might have to wait depending on medical appointments. Otherwise, everyone (including Mom) is happy and well. No new cats to report-- trying to let the herd meld and calm down as it is!

So Long Summertime!

Last hurrah! Last day of summer... Tomorrow's the clinic, Tuesday's the GRE, Wednesday school starts! If you don't see me much until xmas, that's the new normal!



Finished the Aibhlinn, here it is!



Here's Poo and the home-made swift with silk yarn.

Mat with Poo

Whew, it's been awhile! It's gonna get longer apart, too, as Fall semester starts. I've decided to try to buck the system and take the Developmental advanced lecture/lab, ride their butts so they don't graduate me before I finish the 2-semester Honors thing. This is going to be my selfish year, I'm gonna do SnB and take an hour mid-week for total hedonism instead of doing STAIRS and working my butt off for people who resent me afterwards because I didn't fix their problem. (Can you tell I'm leaning more towards research these days??? ) Signed up to take the GRE the day before school starts, and as soon as that's done I'll get the apps going. Dr. N "reassured" me yesterday, said I can stick around another year in the lab if I don't get in! AAAAAUGH! If I spend another year as a college senior I'm gonna sprout wings, turn green, grow hair out my nostrils, sh*t fire & explode!

Meantime, here's what's happening on the yarny front:



This was NOT supposed to be another cat picture, but Pookie just would not move! This stuff is luscious. Rayon, not silk, but who cares when it's this soft & colorful. Works up like a dream. Probably won't work well for the silk bowls-- that's something we don't want draping around-- but I'm totally coveting this in a sweater or a shawl or a scarf... Anyway, the pattern for this and several other projects will be out with the Wool Peddler ASAP... Definitely in time to whip these puppies up for holiday gifts-- that's the idea!

In other shameless plugs, Stones Throw here in G'town is giving a free dyeing class Saturday the 20th, or, well, free to observe & take notes or $25 if you bring yarn and an old crock-pot. I'm thinking of bringing mine so Bill can't say, "We HAVE a crock-pot," when I want a new crock-pot with the removable innards! But I'll have to sign up fast, there were only a couple spots left last weekend...

And Leah's store is getting closer to opening! I've got her 1/2 convinced to let us adults play in the excavation pit, dig for fossils. I know just as many adults who'd want to do that as kids! Sounds better than a day at Kentucky Kingdom, to me!

And guess who's coming for Xmas? MOM! She finally got some allergy meds she thinks will work. If not we'll just pitch a tent out back. (Just kidding Mom! There's always the barn...)