I'm Addicted to Chemo Caps

I am on my fourth Chemo Cap. I cannot put them down. I went to Knit One's Inventory Sale and bought a little yarn. Not much, but enough to have fun with. I love quality yarn at affordable prices. Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the afternoon knitting group at Knit One. I love knitting with these ladies. They are fun and make me feel welcomed. I like the charity aspect of the group. I like helping others.

I finished A Thousand Splendid Suns tonight. A heavy book, but life is heavy sometimes. It depicts life for women living in Afghanistan during the 1990's up to 2003. Life was not very pretty for women much of that time. We have a lot to be grateful for in America. Life is not what I wish it was, but relative to what life is like in other countries, we have it pretty good. Next I am starting Devil In the White City for a book group at the Cranberry Library. It is a heavy book also. Non-fiction. I am into heavy books. Life is heavy. I would like to start a new book group if anyone is interested. I want to read Pulitzer Prize winning books. Not just novels. Memoirs. Anything and Everything. If any one is interested please post a comment.

New Family Member

This is Angel. Notice Sophie's leg coming under the door.

I'm Knitting Again

I knit with the ladies at Knit One in Squirrel Hill Tuesday and I started this Chemo Cap, which I finished this afternoon. It is my first cap I've knitted. It was knittted on circular needles.





I also worked on Jennifer's sock. The pattern is from Sensational Knitted Socks, the braided cable pattern.

Favorite Pics

Sophie playing on the baby blanket













View from Mt. Washington in October Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Notice the pink water in the fountain.

Update

I am currently reading Anna Karenina by Tolstoy and loving it. I need to put it down for a few days to read Oliver Twist by Dickens, the B&N Classics Book Group for Febuary. What a difference in writing styles. It is interesting to know that Tolstoy highly respected and admired Dickens and writings. He even mentions Dickens in Anna Karenina.

I started knitting a pair of socks for a special friend who lives in Chicago. I'm going to knit a braided cable pattern. I don't know when I will get around to knitting a vest or a sweater, I have two pairs of socks I want to knit for friend and relative first. It is not procrastination. It's called giving to those who have given to me.

Today was our first unofficial day of Winter complete with temperatures below freezing and snow flurries all day. Very little accumulation though.

Life is good at Glade Run. I was totally miserable my first 4 months I spent in the cottages due to stress and anxiety. I bottomed out personally in December and gave two weeks notice. A week later as my level of stress decreased and my true hearts desire increased back up to the surface of my being, I contacted HR and let them I very much wanted to stay at Glade Run. They welcomed me back and have treated me very well. I am glad I made the decision to stay. I need to work on keeping my stress level reduced. Since my shift on Christmas Eve...that was the pivotal night for me, when I saw clearly that helping these hurting kids is what I want to do with my life.....I have not been miserable anymore. I've been enjoying my work. Yes, I still get stressed out, but it is not a day of stress added on top of another day of stress added on top of another day of stress.... I get stressed out. I talk and cry with a friend. I soak in the tub. I relax and read. I spend the day with a friend visiting a museum and going out to eat. I'm getting breaks from my stress and relief from my stress.

I'm Back

The baby blanket is finished and gifted to my manager at Barnes & Noble and brand new mom.









The Branching Out Scarf has been blocked and gifted to my mom for Christmas.










Beloved Rosie Died of Cancer last month. We all miss her very much.

Way

The WEB is too accessible

A co-worker googled "Glade Run" and found my blog. This is scary. I don't mind the co-worker finding my blog, I just would not a client to find my blog due to confidentiality and boundary issues.

Kitty Pi bed

Rosie is faithfully using her kitty pi bed but every time I grab my camera she runs away.

Camping Pics

Mountain Man carved in a dead tree on way to campground in Cook Forest State Park.













Molly sitting in my chair in front of our tent.










Precious should be her middle name.

Sorry no pics yet

The Branching Out scarf has stopped branching out. I only have to knit the last few rows of garter stitch and block it and it will be finished. I did 36 repeats each taking 30 minutes not including the repeats I ripped out and reknitted. Yes, I will be Branching Out again with Lace Weight this time.

My current project is a Baby Blanket for a manager at B&N. I am making slow progess on it.

I made a commitment to Connie the other day to knit a vest this fall. She said sweater but I will start with a vest then graduate to a sweater.

Glade Run Lutheran Services is a faith-based non-profit organization that I am proud to be a part of. I started my training last Monday. The more I learn about the organization the more I am glad I decided to work there. I am eager to start the actual hands on work. The training is very thorough and extensive.

Check out my next post for a pic of a tree in Cook Forest State Park.

Job Update

Author J. A. Konrath from Chicago stopped in the store today to sign books. I chatted with him a while and he gave me a free autographed hardcover copy of his new book Rusty Nail. I am eager to read it.


I am 800 pages into the 1,000+ page Gone With The Wind. I am enjoying it. It portrays the south right before the Civil War started, through the Civil War and the post-civil war period. There is a lot of bigotry and prejudice in the novel. It has been criticized for romanticizing the relationship between slave and master. Mitchell is a wonderful storyteller and keeps you turning page after page. It is a great summer read.



The Big News is I have a new full time job I start July 31st. I will be a Mental Health Worker at Glade Run Lutheran Services here in Zelienople. Glade Run has a residential treatment facility for kids in foster care. I plan to keep my Barnes & Noble job as well but cut back on the hours.

Knitting Update

I have three repeats to knit before the Branching Out will be finished. Mom is eager for the project to be completed. She loves the scarf. I know many people dislike the pattern, but I like the finished product and don't mind the pattern, so I am thinking about knitting another one with lace weight yarn I bought in Salem, Ohio on the 4th of July with Nora and Connie when we went to visit Ember.



I started a new project. A Baby Blanket for a manager at Barnes & Noble. I had to rip it out twice before I got the pattern correct. Now I use a lifeline every once in a while.

Camping Again in Cook Forest

Molly and I were camping again in Cook Forest last Wednesday through Friday. It sprinkled for a hour half Wednesday and Thursday nights. Not enough to ruin the trip. Molly and I did not do much. We just lazed around. I do a lot of thinking while camping. I am a thinker. My best friend in high school always called me the Thinker. We went for a Bisson Burger off the main road but found a closed up shack. I like trying new and different foods. Bisson were in the field grazing. I do not have my next camping trip planned yet. I will need to ask off work for three days in a row and in the middle of the week as to avoid the weekend crowd. If you have a favorite camping area and campground that is dog-friendly please let me know. I am new to PA and don't know where else to go camping. I like rustic, secluded campsites.

Life Overview

Saturday I saw a great documentary at The Manor Theater in Squirrel Hill called WordPlay. It was about Will Shortz the New York Times Crossword puzzle editor and the Annual Crossword Puzzle tournament held in Stamford, CT. Afterwords you felt like running out and buying The NYTimes to work the crossword puzzle. Which I did not do, but I did work a few Sudoku puzzles in my Will Shortz's Sudoku book.

My knitting goal is to finish the Branching Out Scarf. Mom will be thrilled. She tells everyone about it. She thinks it is so pretty. I do not think it is a difficult pattern, but sometimes I forget to do a YO and then my stitch count is off and hence the pattern and I have to rip out. I experience a fair amount of anxiety while working on the project because I am afraid I am going to make a mistake. I will be glad when the scarf is done. I will feel a great deal of accomplishment.

I am a little over a third of the way through Gone With The Wind. I am enjoying it. Scarlet and Rhett are two of a kind. Their interactions are entertaining. I'm going to have to put it down for a little while to read my Classic's Book Group book for this month A Separate Peace by John Knowles.

Life Update

I knit with the Z-Knitters at Beechers last night. Ember, Yvonne, Nora and Connie were present. It took me 2.5 hours to do a 30 minute repeat of the branching out scarf. Oh, well. At least I got one repeat done. It's progress, not perfection. Sound familiar to anyone? My only other UFO is a pair of socks I am knitting with yarn my Pittsburgh secret pal Jillz gave me. I do have a vest started but I think I will frog the thing and try a different pattern. I am not pleased with how it is turning out. I may have some "new" stash thanks to Nora. I want to start some Christmas Gifts. I can't say what or for whom because they read my blog so I hope I "win" some of Nora's yarn. Her stash fits my budget and like her Past taste in colors: blues. One project will be for myself, the other will be a gift. I hope to pleasantly surprise quite a few friends and family this Christmas. After I finish the Branching Out scarf, which will only take a few more hours, I will start Christmas Gifts. I am starting early as to budget my time and my money.

I am reading a great southern classic: Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell. I am 280 pages into the 1000+ page book. I am enjoying it. However, I think the relationship between the slaves and the masters is romaniticized and not realistic. Other than that I am enjoying it. My next summer read will Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.

Happy Reading and Happy Knitting!!!

My First Felted Project

No, you do not see a cat laying in this cat bed. Nor a dog. Maybe I will rub some catnip inside it.









The felted cat bed stretched over a large flowerpot.










The pre-felted cat bed.

More Camping pics

Camping in Cook Forest

When Life gets Tough Drink a Frapaccino

That's my philosophy on life. I had a pleasant lunch with Knitting buddy Connie today in Oakland at one of my favorite restuarants down there Ali Baba's. Then I went to Starbucks for dessert and journaled.

WHO WON? THE CATS OR THE MOUSE?

The mouse won with my assistance. Sophie was batting the mouse around. The mouse was squealing. I got up, placed a butter dish over the frantic mouse, slid a greeting card under the mouse and the butter dish, took the mouse outside and released him/her. He was a healthy mouse. I hope there were no internal injuries and the mouse is happy and safe now.

Read a Good Book Lately?

My friend, Jennifer Bushman, wrote a novel with her mother while her mother was battling breast cancer. The book was completed two months before her mother's death. Five years later the book was published. It is a great book called Hard Sleeper. It takes place in China. Jennifer's mother was a diplomat in China for many years. If you want a good read with substance read Hard Sleeper. You will not be disappointed.

Life Can Be Fun

Watching the cats last night reminded me that life can be fun.

Did you know that when it is raining the second scoop of ice cream at Brusters is free? I love rainy days!!!!

So Who Won...the cats or the mouse?

I don't know. The cats were listless this morning which made me think they caught the mouse. But Sophie has perked up now as if she is still search for it. The lights went out at midnight last night. I don't know what they did after that. I have not found a dead mouse. Rosie usually leaves the carcas for me for to dispose of, Sophie I've never seen hunt a mouse before. I don't know if she would eat it. Rosie sure came to life last night. It was a pleasure to see.

Knitting @ Panera's Cranberry Township

Last night Mary Ann, Jane and I stitched and bitched. I worked on a newly started sock from Sensational Socks. I used the alternate cable cast-on taught to me by Jane. I'm using Regia sock yarn give to me by Jllz my Pittsburgh Secret Pal. I am pleased with the pattern.

Rosie & Sophie Prior to the Mouse Chase

R is for Rosie

I love my Rosie.

F is for Filleting

Dad I went fishing last Wed. morning. The bluegill were really biting the first half hour. Then they quit. Dad is filleting the fish. I made him teach me so when I fish by myself I'll know how to fillet the fish.













This is a little fish we caught. We caught much bigger but did not get a picture of them. Really!!!









I'm trying my hand at filleting. It takes practice. I sure do like fishing.

Evan Playing Percussion

My Nephew Evan after his band concert showing me his instruments.














Isn't he a cute kid?

My Sockapalooza socks arrived Wed. May 3rd!!!! I absolutely love them. After I gave my sock preferences I was worried maybe I was too harsh. I said, "If a man will wear them, I will like them." Dani did a wonderful job with my difficult preferences. This is Trekking yarn in shades of green. She also sent me several stitch markers and wax potpourri. This is Sophie checking out the socks.






This is the cute handmade felt bag the socks and other goodies arrived in. I was too eager to get the goods to take time to take a picture of the bag while still packed with the wrapped goods.

Knitting Last at Butler's Paneras

I knitted last night with Chelsea and two other women (I don't know their names I was not and did not introduce myself to them). I am ready to decrease for the toe on my second sockapaloooze sock that is to be in the mail May 2nd. No sweat. I successfully knit one repeat on the Branching Out Scarf while Listening to the women talk. No I did not talk while knitting it.

This afternoon I hung out at Morraine State Park, fishing and talking with Jack another fisherperson. Jack gave me fishing tips and gear. It was a pleasant afternoon.

It is so nice to see the sun. And the long daylight hours.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish it could be like this year round.

I am already thinking about Christmas Gifts. I'm looking for a felted knit pattern for slippers. If you know of a free one please let me know. Last November/December I told a woman at work I would knit her a scarf. I think I will start that project this weekend. I picked an entrelac scarf pattern from knitty.com. One goal for this year was to learn entrelac. (Another was to knit a pair of cable socks which I am doing for my sockapaloooza socks.)

F is for Fishing

This fish does not look very happy to be in my hand. I caught a dozen bluegill at Lake Arthur this afternoon.












A view of Lake Arthur.










I fished off this picnic table.

Spring is Finally Here

The view outside my office window.

The View a few days later (pic on right).

Sue Monk Kidd

Last Monday Clare and I went to see Sue Monk Kidd the author of Secret Lives of Bees and The Mermaid Chair. The Secret Lives of Bees was a Bestseller for two years. The Mermaid Chair was not near as good. I did not like The Mermaid Chair because the main character betrayed her husband and had an affair (with a monk).

Back in the Knitting World

The First Sockapalooza sock is finally done and the second one started. I have two weeks to knit the second sock. Plenty of time.

Still Not Much Knitting happening...

I had a pretty busy week last week. I had lunch with Connie in Oakland Thursday, Coffee with Jennifer Saturday night and a video and dinner with Bruce Sunday afternoon. I have lots of favorite people I like to spend time with. One such friend is Jennifer. She will moving to Chicago this summer. I feel very sad about this. She is a very kind, warm, intelligent, interesting person. I will miss her when she is gone. I don't think I've mentioned I finished The Subtle Knife the sequel to The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. The last page leaves you hanging, dieing to pick up the third book in the trilogy to see what happens. However, I had to start the book for the Classics Book Group I lead at Barnes & Noble a week from tomorrow. It is 500 pages long so I needed to get started. The trilogy will have to wait. I am also reading The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel. Lee addresses difficult questions like how can there be a loving God with all the pain and suffering in the world. One of my big obstacles to Christian Faith.

Monday is Dollor Draft night...

It is officially Tuesday but it is still Monday Night at the Bar where I am off to in 5 minutes for a drink before going to bed. I knit yesterday. I worked on my sock pal cable sock. There is an Amish mistake that is not very noticable so it will stay in....I am knitting the gusset right now. It is more complicated than I am used to...I repeat rows 3 and 4 6 times while I repeat another row 7 times then I work the cable. Two things to keep track of Yikes!! I don't know if I could do it at a group knit...Thought you might be interested to know I plan on reading Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis while at the bar tonight...it gives the evening balance. Balance today makes for a good tomorrow. :-) Tonight is a good night...Hence I am blogging. I plan to play catch up on the ZYX Fridays this week. I run weak on the creative side...so this is a struggle for me....Well I plan on having a good week...I will be seeing some of you soon. Looking forward to you.....Thank you to everyone who is my friend. It is not always easy being friends with someone who is in my situation...so Thank You. I love you.

1. I need: More Money

2. Sex: Is taken too lightly these days.

3. Relationships: All relationships are important, including friendship relationships.

4. Your Last Ex: Left me for a man

5. Power: Often abused.

6. Marijuana: Don't like it. Don't like Alcohol either.

7. Crack: Never tried it, never will.

8. Food: Sweets I can live on.

9. The President: Don't trust him. Not a good leader. Does not have a mind of his own. Is destroying our wilderness. Lies. Pretends to be a good christian with a lowecase c.

10. Drama: Hate it.

11. Cars: Prefer Trucks.

12. Gas Prices: Piss me off.

13. Halloween: Satanic Holiday. I like costume parties, but not Halloween.

14. Politics: I stay out of it because there is noting I can do about it. Politicians are all liars.

15. Religion: Is an individual, personal thing. No one knows what is absolute truth.

17. MySpace: Just learned about it. Have a sketchy site out there. No photo, not much.

18. Worst Fear: Being Homeless

19. Marriage: Should not be only for hetersexual couples. Discrimates against loving same-sex relationships.

20. Fashion: I wear what I wore in the 60's when I was a kids. I will never change.

21. Brunettes: Long.

22. Redheads: Gorgeous

22. Blondes: Bleached. Most of the time.

23: Work: All for the profit of the company, never for the good or benefit of the emplyee. Money is the bottom line.

24: Pass the time: Reading.

24: Football: Could care less.

25. One night stands: Stupid. Have more self-control.

26: Pet Peeve: Gossip

.27: Pixie Stix:???

.28: Vanilla Ice: ????

29: Porta Potties: Nasty, but come in handy..

30: High school: Hated it.

31. Ice cream: Soft serve

32. Pajamas: Sweatpants and sweatshirt.

33. Wood: Love old Oak.

34. Surfers: Idols.

35. Pictures: Last forever.....more than a lifetime.

I've been reading tons, knitting little

I finished The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman and immediately started the sequel The Subtle Knife (it is a trilogy). I read book one of Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer. Of course I read The Accidental Spaceship by Gene Hunt. Did I mention I finished Orient Express by Graham Greene? I think I did. I plan to knit some today on my sockapoloooza sock. I need to pick up the stitches on the side and work the gusset.

Author Gene Hunt

Gene Hunt is 83 Years Young and just recently got his first children's book published The Accidental Spaceship. It is a wonderfully written story about twin 13 year old brothers who have a spaceship delivered to their backyard by mistake. Mr. Hunt is a delightful person with 11 children and tons of grandchildren. By the way, Mr. Hunt lives in Cranberry, Pennsylvania.

Frank McCourt Pic

Finally here is a picture of Pulizer Prize Winner Author Frank McCourt.

Not Much Knitting News...

I finished Orient Express by Graham Greene. I like Greene. I'm back to reading The Golden Compass (a kids book). I finished the heel flap and turned the heel on the first sock for my sock pal last night. I did not work on it for a good two weeks. good thing I have until May 2nd to finish the pair. It's doable. I went to see Frank McCourt Monday night. He was great. Witty, humorous, intelligent, entertaining. I'l post a picture later. I'll try to write more tomorrow...it is late and I want to read before going to bed.

Curled up in a ball

What has happened since Feb 15th? Not much. Not much knitting. I've been mostly curled up in a ball.
I finished Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism. I started The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. I started Orient Express by Grahame Greene. I read The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. I read Watership Down by Richard Adams. I'm going to turn over a new leaf later today and knit. I am meeting blogless Connie for lunch today down in Oakland...this I am looking forward to very much. It was good to spend time with the Cranky Knitters tonight. It is late so more will come after I sleep 8 hours and have time to knit later today.