Sunday, October 28, 2012

FO #10

Dennis with his new socks
Am thinking I may need to work on teaching my sock model better modeling skills
Or, maybe it was the photographer!?
They are done, ends weaved in, and are on the feet intended for as I type.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

On the HOME stretch!



Appraisals, home inspections, septic inspection, everything is done!

Paperwork has been sent to the banks, we should have a date for closing soon!!!!!!

In the midst of all this chaos, I did finish the second pair of boot socks for Dennis!!!  YAY!  FO #10 for 2012

Monday, October 22, 2012

Taking a break from home buying stress!

Dennis and I with Matanuska Glacier in the background
We have had an incredibly wet summer and fall.  This Sunday, we were going to go hiking, to get away from the stress of "house buying limbo."

Dennis suggested we take a drive up to his friend's cabin up near Matanuska Glacier.  So, in the car, about 2 hours and 80 some miles later, we were sitting down at a table in Long Rifle Lodge for beer, a burger, and a beautiful view of the glacier!  I managed to almost complete Dennis' green boot socks (the twisting, winding road does not make a good drive for knitting).  Between Saturday's knit2gether and the drive, I managed to knit to the point of doing the decrease for the toe.


It was a beautiful sunny day, if not a tad cold. 


Dennis with the frost and snow on the flood plain of the Matanuska River.


I am so lucky to live in such a beautiful state!

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Knit2gether and Yarn Swap

What would you call a collection of hand knit socks?
 
Our twice-yearly "yarn crawl" this year ended up being a knit and yarn swap at MeMaw's new house.

There were ten of us and we were told to bring three things: hand knit sock (if you have them) for a photo op, food, and of course, something to knit.

Only one of us didn't have hand knit socks to wear (hence 9 feet).


The group (minus the hostess/photographer)
enjoying a rare sunny day in Alaska as well as each other's company.
 
We also did a yarn swap, and although I didn't bring yarn to swap, I ended up taking home a huge bag of yarn that I'm sure I will knit into a cardigan.

On the sticks--WIP


Background - Every Way Wrap
Clock wise from top -- boot socks, garter rib socks, birch leave shawl.

It has been over three months since I shared my WIP.  School started back in the middle of August, and, well, work has a way of cutting into my knitting!  If only I could be independently wealthy!  I have been good at sharing FO's but not so much with new projects, or the progress on old ones.

I ripped out the yellow mock turtle neck, finished the basic cowl, Jenny socks, and purse (which is still waiting for a lining), as well as started and finished gray Boot Socks for Dennis

The Every Way Wrap has been neglected, as well as the Birch Leaf Shawl.  I have been dividing my time with socks.

Dennis LOVES his gray Boot Socks, so I started another pair of socks for him in green.  I have also been working on a pair of socks from Sensational Knitted Socks book, Garter Rib socks. 


Garter Rib Socks from Sensational Knitted Socks
knit from Plymouth Yarn Happy Feet, color 11
I am loving the combination of the yarn and the pattern.  The Pattern has a garter stitch along the heel flap that makes a great transition for the gusset pick up.

I completed gusset decreases on both pairs of socks, so I really am on the home stretch to the toes.

Today is a knit2gether at a fellow JitterKnitter who is also a member of FiberHounds.  I really need to get off the computer and get some work done.  Thursday and Friday are Parent/Teacher conferences so I have to get Special Education Progress Reports done on all my students.

Knit-on!

Friday, October 19, 2012

Small things can bring huge joy!

Who would have thought a simple handle-less cup could bring me such joy!

Dennis gave this to me this week.  A small ceramic artisan cup with no handle.

It fits perfectly in my hand.  It is smaller, so my tea is hot to the last sip.

I enjoy it, and enjoy the tea all day.
The only problem is that I am drinking more
and that means more trips outside of the classroom......


Sunday, October 14, 2012

Last Hike Before Winter becomes FIRST Hike OF Winter!


South Fork of Eagle River
Taken from South Fork Bridge, about 2 miles from the parking lot


 We have had a terribly wet summer and autumn, so when the weather has been nice we've been busy getting the outside of my mom's house ready for winter.  No hiking or enjoying the Alaskan outdoors.

The forecast this weekend was sun and highs in the 40 Saturday, with snow moving in Sunday.

Looking out over the valley, still hoping the
low clouds burn off.
Dennis and I had been talking of hiking to Symphony Lake before the snow falls, so decided this was the weekend to do it.
My summer hiking partner, Rosemary, called with the same idea: let's get out on the trails before the snow falls!  She and her husband joined Dennis and I for our last hike before winter.

It was a very brisk morning, was hoping the weather man would pull through with the sun and warm temps, but Dennis and I packed for the worse, "just in case."  Very little is worse than being cold and wet on a hike, especially a long one into the wilds of Alaska!


Rosemary and I hiking almost to the South Fork Bridge
No one was surprised when I announced there were geocache's along the trail and I had down loaded them to my gps!  So....our first "stop" was at the bridge to find a geocache.


Rosemary, Scott, and myself at the South Fork Bridge geocache.
Snow was just beginning to fall (we were still trying to
convince ourselves the sun would burn off the clouds).
The bridge just less than half way to Symphony Lake, and a nice stop, and a very quick geocache find!
We continued on, still no sun, but we were having a great time, snow had just begin to fall before we reached the bridge.  It really was beautiful out there!  Gorgeous, big snow flakes fell.

We continued on, should have turned back, but we wanted to get to out destination, Symphony Lake. 

No one ever wants to be THAT person to call UNCLE, and someone really should have.

Standing on the moraine between Eagle Lake and Symphony Lake.
Though not obvious in this picture, most of the rocks were HUGE, and
covered with a couple inches of wet, slippery snow!
We reached Eagle Lake and traversed the bridge to the huge rock moraine, and began winding our way over the rocks, following the cairns.  We were 0.4 mile (as the crow flies) for the destination, but the rocks were hard to traverse, I had twisted my knee crawling over a large rock, it was hurting, but I was not going to tell anyone, and I soldier on until, jointly, we all agreed it was time to turn around!

We hoofed it pretty hard, and after about 2 miles of pretty fast walking, I ran out of steam.   Poor Scott was chilled, so he kept on marching on, but there was no way I could keep that pace for the remaining 3 miles!

We stopped at the bridge again, for a quick bite, and then continued on.  The Snow was over the top of the toes of my boots, we guessed 3 to 4 inches.  Scott, cold, but just not willing to admit it to us, couldn't stand the slow pace I had to go.

I guess I'm not as young as I thought I was.  I just kept chugging along, getting slower and slower.  Dennis convinced me to let him carry my pack (about 10 pounds), and it made a huge difference.

Our "last hike before winter" became our "first hike of winter."  It was beautiful, despite the pain, I'd do it again!  I want to hike back there next summer, with a tent, and spend the night!!!!!!

We estimated we hiked 10 miles.  I'm feeling a little stiff, but nothing like I was when we got home last night!

I did bring Dennis's socks, but it wasn't one of our hikes where we sit and chat, enjoy the scenery.


Friday, October 12, 2012

Home Buying

The day I have to go through this home purchase again will be too soon, no matter how far away into the future it is!

Both homes were supposed to have had their appraisals yesterday, which means the closing dates can be set (or so I've been told).

I have used knitting to relieve the stress, but last night, I used sleep.  Came home from work bone tired; even too tired to knit!  I felt it was too early to crawl in bed, so took out the contacts, put on my pj's and brought the pillows out so I could lay on the couch to "watch TV."  I watched the inside of my eyelids and after 3 hours sleeping on the couch I moved to bed.  I was afraid that, falling asleep a little after 6pm would leave me wide awake at 2 am, but that didn't happen and I slept all night.

Need to post pictures.  I am knitting Dennis another pair of 100% merino wool, super wash, worsted weight socks -- he loves them, he said they keep his feet just the right temperature!  For some reason, the three skeins of yarn are not enough, despite following the same pattern.  His next socks will be knit toe up, so I can knit until I run out of yarn, instead of placing yet another yarn order with KnitPicks!

I am also knitting a pair of socks for myself out of the book Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch.  Am liking the garter stitch along the heel flap -- makes a nice join with the pick up for the gusset.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Moving Nightmares!


Oh the dreams!  YIKES!

The most recent move dream nightmare is about the boxes.

First we end up at the wrong house.  Put all boxes back in truck and get to the right house.

Unload the truck and low and behold, wrong boxes!  They aren't ours!

Eventually get our boxes in our new house, and the "movers" keep putting the boxes in the wrong rooms.

Finally, get the right boxes in the right house, in the right rooms and I begin to unpack.

The evil moving trolls have played havoc yet again.

The labels on the outside of the boxes don't match what is inside the boxes!

The Kitchen boxes contain clothes, bathroom boxes contain pots and pans.....

Alarm goes off, I get up, look around at all the work yet ahead and want to crawl back in bed -- but the fears of the dreams returning keeps my feet moving towards the coffee pot!

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Spin, Spin, Spin!



 
There is so much going on right now, it makes my head spin!
  • September 10, Dennis texts me one morning with a picture of the above house.
  • September 14, Dennis lists his house with a realtor
  • September 17, Dennis and I look at the house -- we LOVE it.  It meets 90% of the items on our "dream home list"
  • September 18, we take my mom to see the house, she loves the fact that she can live on the main floor and not have to navigate stairs.   She will have her own master bedroom suite, with attached bath.  We have the upstairs with two bedrooms and a shared bath.  We agree to meet late the following evening and draw up an offer
  • September 19, NOON -- we find out an offer had been placed on the house, the sellers were going to counter offer, but would wait to look at our offer first.
  • September 20, we find out they accepted our offer!!!!!
  • September 21, Dennis' townhouse sale goes live
  • September 23, Dennis sells townhouse!!!  No more worries about carrying two mortgages!
In two weeks we went from looking, to actually having found one house, sold the other, and now we have to move!

Mom will move with us, her house is paid for, so we will declutter 20+ years of "stuff" over the winter and put it up for sell in the spring!

ETA:  you thought this would be about spinning yarn...didn't you!!!!!