Starting over, again

Where do I start?

In many ways dip netting was a great success. We got lots fish, I ended up with 30 which I cleaned, filleted, then half were frozen and the other half was canned.

We had a great family week, with lots of hard work and laughter.

But, sadly, the first two days were filled with stress over one member that felt he didn't have to help. Once he realized helping was part of the deal, things got better and we had a blast. But the damage was done.

It was my BF's 15 year old son.

For two days he pulled his "don't wanna, ain't gonna" routine he often did, especially the first several days his dad would leave for the slope.

He didn't help, he argued, didn't like what we were eating for meals, he acted like he expected to be waited on.

While everyone was busy loading up the "beach mobile" he would climb in and wait. When asked to help, he would walk away, pretending not to hear.

When moving our day camp and down the beach with the tide, at first, he would get up and expect someone else to move the chair he was sitting in.

When it was his turn at the net, he refused to go in because the fish weren't running and he only got two fish the day before.

The stress in camp caused by his attitude got so thick you could cut it with a knife and I finally told him he would help and be part of the team, or he would be grounded when we got back to town: one week, no x-box, no ipad. I walked away and let him think about it.

The following day, when it was his turn at the net, he took it, no arguments. When loading up for our day at the beach, he helped, he asked what he could do. His stepping up and doing the right thing turned everything around. The stress was gone, everyone relaxed, everyone had fun, we worked hard, and laughed harder!

The last day we talked about how, once we figured it all out, we all had fun. "Next year, we know what to do!" BF's son said he enjoyed his time, once he started to help and looked forward to next year!

But the damage was done.

When he was refusing to help, the boy had spoken to his dad, I received a text "stop making it miserable for him!" No questions about what the boy may or may not have done, but the assumption the boy was telling the truth. TheBF continued to blame me for making a "camping trip" that was supposed to be fun miserable for his son.

This wasn't the first time I felt I needed to put the hammer down, and got chewed out by BF for being "mean."

BF refused to listen to my side, and, after a lot of tears, I realized I couldn't deal with the whole situation and left.

I miss the family we had, but I won't be in a relationship where a child can tell lies about me and his dad will believe them before ever speaking to me.

It has been hard. Went into a little funk, haven't knit or spun anything until just recently.

Slowly taking one step at a time into the future of my new life.

How does one handle dating in your late 40's? This is so hard.

and I am off....

Every year, my family goes dip-netting for salmon the the Kasilof. Last year, I was only able to watch as I wasn't yet an "Alaskan Resident" but now I am a "real Alaskan"!

We will head out tomorrow. My house will be able to get 45 salmon -- that scares me. What does one do with 45 salmon? The boyfriend (BF) heads off to his job on the North Slope tomorrow and will be gone for 3 weeks.

That leaves me to deal with whatever fish we manage to get -- gulp!!!

Needless to say, the Tour de Fleece spinning will be put on hold until our return (I think we have this weeknd off for a rest anyway, maybe).

So far, I have gotten three skeins completed, and have one on the wheel.

FAR LEFT: The blue is 50/50 silk and merino 4 oz. three ply. Didn't get as much as I would have liked, but I am very happy with the way the yarn turned out. 282 yards

MIDDLE: all sparkly and neon pink and neon green, mixed with black--"Hot Nights". Two ply; about 110 yards.

FAR RIGHT: "Chocolate Dipped" deep browns with richt pinks and sparlkes - single ply - 270 yards.

My spinning will stay home, my knitting will come with.

Bored?!

BF's (Boy-friend) son often says "I'm bored" and I think, "I WISH I could be bored!"

There are days I wish were just a little longer as I have the following "hobbies":

* Knit
* Spin
* Ride horse (rode her 10 miles yesterday -- it was a blast, just her and I)
* Target Practice with my 9 mm pistol
* Blog
* Bead
* Run an Etsy store
* Read
* Garden
* Blog

I NEED to:

* Practice up for job interviews (I am a special education teacher and am good at what I do, but not so with interviews right now as I look for a full-time job to help pay for the horse mentioned above)
* change my name on various credit card accounts, passport, etc. from divorce over a year ago
* Learn how to can food
* clean and organize my house (YIKES)
* Get two pairs of socks knitted (one was finally completed)
* Get ready for a fishing trip (the hunting trip fell to the wayside--sad)

And, right now, I need to get to the store and pick up eggs (at 3 times the price as in town) so I can finish the potato salad I'm bringing tot he 4th of July Picnic!

I wish I could have one day of being bored -- but I am too ADD for that, I'm sure after 5 1/2 minutes of being bored, I'd find something to do!

Tour de Fleece -- July 2 - 24, 2011

Okay, I really do not think I will be able to spin all 14 fleeces I have during the next 22 days. But, I will give it my best shot!

Today I popped out of bed, enjoyed the quietness of the house as the others slept. Brewed a pot of coffee, sat down to spin a half hour or so, and two hours later, I looked at the clock and low and behold, I got 120 (+/-) minutes of spinning in!!!

My goals are simple:


1. Complete what I currently have on the bobbins. I had one bobbin completed of this beautiful 50/50 silk merino. I am attempting to spin 820 + yards of 3 ply fingering. This morning I was able to almost complete the second bobbin. I love spinning this beautiful roving. I am hoping to have enough to knit the Forget-me-not Shawl.

2. Play with this lovely roving from LittleMonkeySns. A wonderfully soft and luxurious batt -- the pictures did NOT do this roving justice. It is called "Chocolate Dipped" with 52% Merino, 42% bamboo, and 6% nylon sparkle. Not sure what it will become other than yarn. Am thinking I might try to knit a hat with it. It will become what it will become. After the stress of 820 yards 3 ply fingering, this will be a wonderful break.

3. Finish spinning some boring natural BFL that is to knit into a bag to be felted (need it to go with some other wonderful self-striping yarn I spun over a year ago).

4. Back to fun as I spin some more roving from LittleMonkeySns -- it is the wonderful green/orange braid in the front left of the basket.

This will push me! If I get those 4 goals done, I will play with the 5 +/- ounces from the Phat Fiber [rip-off] box.

Oh! Sock update -- mom's socks are almost done. I am working on the cuff and happy with how it is turning out.....pictures to follow...maybe after Tour de Fleece!!!!

Spin-on!!!

Today's accomplishment - 3 hours

Phat Fiber Box

Okay, if you have never heard of Phat Fiber Box, you, like me, live under a rock.

A friend told me I should really look into contributing to the Phat Fiber Box; it is a great way to get your name out and increase business.

So I looked into it.

Once a month a husband/wife team collect samples from "contributors", gather them together, make a video, collect email addresses--which they use to inform of the super secret time the boxes will go on sale.

The "contributors" need to send in a minimum of 20 samples (but if you send in 50 samples, you will get your own box, and, as state on their blog, "a spot in our popular and entertaining monthly video!").

I was game, though trying to figure out how to make 20 or 50 "samples" of my row counters had be perplexed. I contacted the Phat Fiber lady and found out that they had too many stitch marker contributors, maybe next month.

Okay, by now I was hooked so when I found out the super secret date and time the boxes were to be sold, I made sure I was online, credit card in hand and ready to go to spend my $36 to get a Phat Fiber box.

Somewhere between finding out about the Phat Fiber Box and receiving the box I got to thinking.

There were 3 different boxes. I do not know how many each different box they sold, but you need to send in 20 samples (50 if you want your own box). So, let's just, for the sake of simplicity and argument, they only sell 20 boxes.

20 times $36 is $720. Now if they sell 10 of each box (one only fiber, one yarn, and a combo box) that would be 30 times $36 for $1080! For what? Okay, the people who put these boxes together do advertise, they do take pictures, they do organize the boxes, but......? The only thing the "contributors" get is advertising for 20 samples, or a "free" box for 50 samples, and the people who came up with the idea get somewhere around $1000?!

The box arrived and for all it's fibery goodness and hype and I was disappointed. For $36 I would have rather taken a chance on full-sized items from fellow etsians. I got less than 5 oz of fiber, in tiny batches. Got a stitch markers, a diz (I think that is what it is), coupons, etc. I did get a WAY cool "spinning because knitting isn't weird enough" button!

Are any of the contributors likely to get a sale from me? I can't say the Phat Fiber Box has really hooked me to buy fiber from anyone. I feel it is a rip off for both the consumers and those who "contribute!"

The friend who told me about how wonderful Phat Fiber was, USED to be a contributor, but has since decided she the few number of sells she was getting from contriubting to Phat Fiber was not worth the work to contribute!

edited to add: I have since been told they sell more than 120-150 or more boxes a month--this past month was $36 per box, so I'll just leave you to do the math!

About those socks....part II

The hunting trip, and the possibility to be able to have all that time to knit, drew me to my knitting bag (which was a mess), and the three works in progress (WIP). We have those socks, oh "those socks." I am very hopeful that the hunting trip will allow me to get them done and off the sticks! I have never had so much trouble with knitting projects!

The Sad Sagga of Mom’s Socks:
· Followed lace pattern as directed, didn't like the way the k2tog tbl turned out. Tried ssk and liked it, but continued to knit, despite my disappointment of the first part;
· Continued knitting to heel turn; forgot to slip first stitch so couldn’t pick up stitches for gusset;
· Frogged back to heel divide – picked up stitches wrong, had ridges on bottom of sock and couldn’t fix;
· Completely frogged socks and started over;
· Latest issue – needle popped off cable. Purchased double pointed needles – realized I hate them and had to purchase new cabled needles;
· A couple more pattern repeats of the lace and I will be adding the cuff and binding off!

Cousin’s Socks Pair 1 – original pattern cuff down. After picking up gusset and working on gusset decrease, learned during a trial-try-on that I couldn’t get leg of sock over heel. WHAT?! I had tried them on multiple times and now they don’t fit!? Frogged them and restarted and am doing the same pattern, but knitting them toe up. Cousin tried them on when we were in Las Vegas and loves them.

Cousin’s Socks Pair 2 -- A trip to the store to purchase needles for Mom’s Socks required me to purchase several skeins of yarn (all sock yarn was on sale, I couldn't resist!). The only issue, so far, with these is that I sat in the parking lot knitting and texting my cousin about the yarn. I had the car radio going and the battery of my car went dead. These too were tried on, they will be a heavier sock and she will love their warmth this winter!

hmmm, about those socks.....

Last post, I was madly knitting two, I mean THREE pair of socks. Trying to get two of them done before the end of May.

What happened?

Well?

The boyfriend and I decided we needed a lawn. Bring in a backhoe with a blade. He decides we need gravel -- enter dump truck with a load of gravel and two loads of dirt. Add fertilzer, shovels, wheel barrows, grass seeds, LOTS of work (BF's 15 year old son was forced into slave labor)--and you get. A back yard full of lovely DIRT! and NO knitting!

He leaves for work (he is out of town three weeks at at time), I wrap up what I can in two days before I leave for Las Vegas and come home to a "hint of green" in the back yard! A HUGE thank you to KM who watched the 15 yr old boy and watered the dirt!

I brought the socks to knit while flying, I decided sleep was more important than knitting on the red-eye from Anchorage to Las Vegas. I did knit the small amount of time we were in our hotel room. And my cousin got to slip her toes into her socks....just the toes, nothing more because that is all there is of her socks right now!

Are the socks done now? Uh, well, uh...nope! Enter more yard work, our 30 year high school reunion (that my boyfriend proudly announced SIX MONTHS AGO that we were co-chairs for the planning "committee" of two--thanks to all who have helped), the arrival of my new Majacraft Rose spinning wheel.

Knitting? uh, yeah...right!

The reunion is this weekend. After that, I'll get to knit, right?

Well, maybe!

Apparently, "the caribou are running" and hunting season starts July 1, and we are going hunting. I don't have a hunting license -- I am suspecting I will be the camp-wench in charge of "womanly chores" like cooking and skinning, and all that lovely stuff while my great-white-hunters get the family meat for the table!

It is the trip of a life-time and we are hoping a way to make up for me not taking the kid with me to Vegas! The 15 year old boy will get to bow-hunt with his dad--while his "kind of sort of, but not really, step-mom" acts as the camp wench!

Knitting will come with me, maybe then, with no internet, no yard, no shopping, nothing else to do, maybe THEN I will get at least one of those lovely pairs of socks knit! It is "Tour de Fleece" and I had such plans, but, I think my Rose will have to stay home!