Forged in the Heat of Battle

I feel like such a baby for lamenting my tasks during the surro-c-section recovery period, because that's the least of my problems right now. It's like the universe gave me a big ol' smack in the head for being a whiner. And now I shall whine again. Skip directly to the photos if you're interested in the knitting.

- Teaching two classes is killer. The online class, in particular, is killing me.
- Wifey has been in and out of the hospital 3 times with post-partum preeclempsia.
- MafiaMom just got out of major surgery, and I'm trying to find a way to visit/care for her.
- The perfect next job popped up and I applied. Now I'm in the process of interviewing (a.k.a. shopping for professional drag, de-politicizing my resume, and filing my nails).

I don't have time to pay bills, clean the house, return phone calls, or snuggle with my Little Man. Literally, I work all day, grade papers on the train, read Little Man a couple stories before he goes to bed, and sit in front of the computer until I fall asleep (sometimes with it on my lap). Rinse and repeat. Weekends, you ask? That's when I clean the house a little, spend time with Little Man, and then slog through hours of writing PowerPoints and answering emails and grading papers. Wifey suggested that perhaps I shouldn't teach two classes again -- "pshaw, as if! after all this work I've put into it? the next one should be a walk in the park." This is clearly a sign of madness.

Jenny Hat is done, but might need a rip. If I don't move at all, it fits well.


If I move, I become a dick head.



The Monkey socks are nearly done





and I love the Socks that Rock (color: Watermelon Tourmaline, gifted by the ever-incredible Frickmeister), but the socks are a little tight and the color is frickin' awesome, but not entirely Mafia-esk, so I'm thinking about adding to Frick's Pay It Forward sensibility and giving them away. No official word on that yet, but I'm thinking about it.

I'm seriously neglecting my Arwen; I'd love to cast on some green socks with two beautiful gifted-with-love skeins waiting in the stash; and I signed up to participate in a quilt block for charity project, which thankfully starts in May.

Damnit, I just want an entire day alone in a shiny clean house with nothing to do but listen to music and knit. Is that too much to ask?
April can't arrive fast enough.
April.
April.
April.
April.

Mafia Week '07: Winners Knit

CONTEST NEWS

The correct answer to the Mafia Week '07: Game #1 is -- the birthmark above my right knee is shaped like a HEART.



When I was a child, my Gramma said I was kissed by an angel. So sweet. In later years, I imagined being kissed by this angel.

Because nobody guessed the correct shape (and what's with all the land mass guesses?), I used the random number generator to decide the winner.

And the winner is:

Kathy!

Congratulations!! I'll send the Knitting Rules book out tomorrow. Enjoy!

KNITTING NEWS

I spent a week on the Monkey socks in the Frickmeister STR and got to the heel.



I love the yarn, and although I had several moments of doubt during repeat #2, I love the colors.

Then a cold spell hit Boston, and I realized that commuting in Massachusetts is bitter. So I put the Monkeys down in favor of a much-needed Jenny hat in leftover Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran in Jewel. As of today, it's about 2/3 done.



I'm hoping to have enough JS yarn for a pair of much-needed Massachusetts commuter mittens.

Last weekend, I did two lousy rows on the Arwen sweater. I'm the worst KAL co-host in the world. And at this rate, it'll be 90 degrees outside before I finish it.

front

Oh, and did I mention the mistake I made on the back of the Arwen cable? For some reason, it doesn't appear on the front. Strange. I'm still trying to decide if I should rip it out, which might explain the languishing. Any thoughts?

back

PERSONAL NEWS

Wifey is ready to pull a small baby girl from her belly, but has been advised by her doctor that this isn't a great idea. So she's waiting. And god love her, she hasn't killed me yet. So all is well. In fact, I believe she's walking the mall right now, trying to get that baby to 'engage'.

Random Kindness & Dye

lightweight Socks That Rock in Watermelon Tourmaline
Let's talk about love. The love of one blogger for another blogger. Like ... for instance ... when one blogger enters a contest and doesn't win. And another blogger sends Socks That Rock in the mail, unsolicited, for no apparent reason. Seriously. Love.

With all this love around, I ditched all prior knitting plans and commitments and wound balls and cast on for a new pair of socks for me! I'm so excited, I can barely stand myself. THANKS Frickmeister! You made my day, week, month, year!


don't make fun of my polka dot socks + pin-striped pants.
it was 6am when I got dressed and clearly I wasn't awake yet
Then I came home and bathed the Red Scarf. Wash #1: red water


Wash #2: red water


Wash #3: pink water; will this ever end?


Honestly, I was too bored to actually test the stamina of the dye. But ... as a word of warning: do not wash KnitPicks Swish Superwash in Red Pepper with your silky white 'special set' from VS.
[oh, the glory of a mental image ... ]