Small Life, Big Project

Here's what happens while trying to take self portraits: the pictures turn out a little funky. But, I had to report that while watching first, Serena, and then Venus, whoop those Russians, I managed to finish up the Diminishing Rib Cardigan. It was well worth the effort and even though I did a little whining along the way I enjoyed learning some new techniques - tublular bind on and bind off; I cord edging; increases on ribs.

More pictures when it's been washed and blocked and I have nerve to ask Taylor to take pictures. He's quite busy taking care of this invalid and maintaining a more than full time job. I'm afraid that a photo shoot would put him over the edge.

10 Good Things About .....

It's been almost a week since I took my nosedive on the lawn in front of my house. My ankle is still talking to me, and I'm trying to make the best of being couched for what seems to me a very long time. In trying to make myself feel better, I'm listing the good things that are happening due to my accident. Here they are:

1. I check my email and face book everyday - often many times a day.
2. I finished reading a murder mystery, Payment in Blood, Elizabeth George, and didn't figure out who the murderer was (Is this good?).
3. I have watched more Wimbledon than any other year.
4. I started reading Stubborn Twig, Lauren Kessler.
5. I have almost finished knitting the Diminishing Rib Cardigan and figured out how to do the tubular bind off along the way.
6. Taylor has brought me every single meal since last Wednesday.
7. I haven't made the bed.
8. I haven't done dishes.
9. I've increased my percentage of wins for Spider Solitare to 21%.
10. I've caught up on all the episodes of Nurse Jackie, and the new season of Weeds.

I can see my life has become very small.

The Tubular Bind Off Rocks

Something good has come from my ankle mishap. I have to stay on my tuckus, doing nothing active. I've had time to read, and reread how to do the tubular bind off and I did it!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it!!!!!! It was worth the effort.

It's nice and stretchy and doesn't have that end of the knitting appearance that you get with a regular bind off. I can see all kinds of uses for it when I want my knitting to just hang straight and not pull in at the end of the knitted piece.

My only regret is that by knitting the Diminishing Rib Cardigan in cotton/bamboo every irregularity shows. Therefore my tubular bindoff doesn't look as smooth as I think it would look in a more forgiving yarn - like wool. However I will keep in mind that I haven't washed and blocked this yet.

Sh#^&%%#^%$*!!!

Two days ago I was strolling on the lawn in front of my house with my little dog, Bob, enjoying the gorgeous morning, anticipating going to my Jazzercise class, when I found myself sprawled undecorously on the ground. Tears streaming down my eyes, dog staring at me in wonder, I was sure I had broken both ankles. I had stepped into a shallow pit, covered with grass. In an instant my summer plans dissolved into something I never anticipated. All that tennis, Jazzercise and line dancing.......I don't know if I was experiencing tears of pain or disappointment.

Usually my neighborhood is crawling with early morning dog walkers, and children going to the bus stop. Would you believe there was no one in sight? The landscapers rolled in and passed me by. I guess seeing women sprawled on the lawn is all in a day's work for them. Realizing I couldn't just lay there, I finally crawled to the curb, sat up and eventually got to my feet and hobbled to the house.

Taylor and I checked the internet for medical advice. We learned that most people with sprains don't need to seek medical care. Ice and/or warmth and elevating the ankle are all that is needed. So I did just that. By 11:00 a.m. the ankle was quite swollen, in places where it really didn't hurt, and I was having trouble standing and walking.

I called the doctor who wanted to see me. He sent me for xrays and by the time we walked into the house, after being at the hospital, the doctor was on the phone telling me I had a fracture.

The next day I went to the orthopedic doc who fitted me with an attractive black lace up and velcro boot. He told me to take it easy and return in 3 weeks. I should be back up and functioning in 4-6 weeks. So much for my summer of fun. I suppose this experience is telling me I need to find more sedentary fun. Of all the physical problems a person could have, this is minor. I will survive.

But...............I don't do sitting around

The Tubular Blues

I'm at that point in my Diminishing Rib Cardigan, featured on the cover of Interweave Knits Spring 2009, where I'm nervous about finishing but excited to have a complete sweater. I've finished the body and have been tackling the tubular bind off.

Since I knit the beginning of this sweater more than twice, I promised myself to read directions carefully and follow them so the rest of the sweater would be knit once. I admit I did a little branching out on this sweater, because I wanted the waist ribbing to be closer to my waist that the pattern calls for. I also measured a favorite sweater for length and made all adjustments needed to get a good length for me.

Yesterday, measurements were in order, so I followed the directions as written for the tubular bindoff and although it looked horrible I perservered thinking the pattern has got to be right and as I continue things will look better. I did the set up row and about 2 inches of binding off before I came to grips with the fact that things were wrong. So I ripped out the 2 inches which was extremely slow going, and took out the set up rows.

After examining my knitting I realized that I had gotten off track by slipping stitches where I should have knit, and knit where I should have slipped. I should have read my stitches as well as the pattern. So I did the set up rows again and decided to reread the instructions before starting the bind off. And there it was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The part that said knit 1x1 ribbing
for 1 ¼ inches. So I did a few rows of 1x1 rib and just now rechecked the directions. There is no part that says knit 1x1 ribbing for 1 ¼ inches for the hem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The directions say that for the waist shaping. Oy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It would appear that my eyes drifted to another spot on the pattern entirely. I seem to becoming completely incompetent.

My question to myself now is shall I rip out those extra rows of 1x1 rib, or leave them?

I'm dreading trying the tubular bind off again, but determined to get it right.

I really want to move on to the sleeves.

Perhaps I need to set this aside and work on the Momogus V Neck Shell as a palette cleanser?

A-w-w-w-w-

Isn't Alice Mae cute in her lacey cardigan?

Workout/Media Center Upgrades

In April I talked Taylor into ordering a treadmill. He loathes public gyms and has spent many years working out on a Nordic Track in our various basements. I have to give him credit for being so dedicated. However, having worn out the original Nordic Track, buying a second one that fell apart immediately and accepting a sturdier donation from a friend we have both come to the conclusion that he has passed his Nordic Track prime. We've got 3 NT carcasses in the basement and it's time for something new and less traumatizing to the body.

Where else to buy a treadmill but from Costco, online? We didn't consider the fact that Costco would ship this thing to us and it would be up to us to get it to the basement and set it up. It arrived in the pouring rain and the trucker schlelped it into the garage and took off. So there it was - 230 pounds- in the middle of our two cars in the garage.

Just try to find someone to move something like that. Our neighbor suggested Tony, who was conveniently listed in his Blackberry. Tony sounded enthusiatic over the phone but failed to show up, and failed to return calls. The original shipping company told me over the phone they aren't allowed to enter homes. Moving companies want to move entire households.

Finally, one month after delivery, we found a moving company on the internet who does small jobs. They agreed to move the treadmill into the basement. The woman told me over the phone that I had these guys for 2 hours so I could have them do whatever I needed. I asked about sweeping the basement - sure. Well, when the 3 husky young guys got the treadmill into the basement and asked if they could do anything more, I had a better brainstorm than sweeping. I asked them to assemble the beast. And they did!!!! It took 3 of them 2 hours but it would have taken us another month to accomplish this feat. I am forever thankful to these young men!

Here's the our Workout/Media Center after installing the new treamill. Notice the black and white TV - that's the media.

Things went along swimmingly until yesterday morning when Taylor worked out. Just like the TV commercials had been telling us, those of us with old black and white non digital TVs wouldn't be able to get a picture after this Saturday. We, of course, didn't think this applied to us, but sure enough it did. No Media in the Workout/Media Center on Saturday.

So we go off shopping for a new TV and guess what? They don't sell regular old time TVs anymore. We aren't quite ready to get into the big fancy flat screens but flat screens are all that're available nowdays. Finally, Taylor selected a 19" TV and brought it home. He took our little bitty color TV from the kitchen down to the basement and replaced it with the new 19" flatscreen. Now we look up to date in the kitchen, and he can watch TV while working out.

Here's the new updated Workout/Media Center. By the way, the object on the left is the treadmill. Nordic Track is on the right with a pink towel on it. Taylor reports that while the TV picture is little, being in color makes it more entertaining. And it's all about the workout anyway.